Week ten of the Middlesea Valletta Life National League at the SuperBowl saw mixed fortunes for the top flight teams, many of whom struggled with the new more competitive lane condition.

Leaders Aercomms managed a 2-6 win against Globalair Travel (8th), while chasers Fina First went down by the same margin against Ramis. These two sides are both on 56 points, ten down on the lead, as are Fina Excel who took an equal share of the points this week by drawing against New Blood.

Royal Shock were the only team to clinch all eight points from their match against Right Deal, while the remaining two matches both finished 2-6, with Swoosh triumphing over Fireballs, and Interwetten Alley Catz defeating Sammy’s Embroideries.

Aercomms’ win over Globalair, coupled with other favourable results, saw them stretch their advantage at the top of Div I to ten points. They began with an easy 625-741 opening game, and then backed that up with another big win in game two which finished 682-776 to give them a considerable 210 pin advantage heading into game three.

That proved to be a lot tighter than the previous two, and saw Globalair Travel come back with a 768-757 consolation win to steal their two point share, and deny Aercomms of a 100 per cent victory. Rankin Camilleri (Aercomms), 617. David Debono (Globalair Travel), 536.

Fina First got off to a poor start in their clash with Ramis, losing out 728-769 in the first of the three game set, but were able to pull that back by winning game two 790-738 to draw level and take a nominal eleven pin edge into the deciding third game. That wasn’t enough in the end as Ramis responded with a 774-814 win and so snatched the series points, and the match, by 29 pins (2,292-2,321). Mark Muscat (Fina First), 637. Benny Hili (Ramis), 593.

Fina Excel stay third on total pinfall, having pulled off a draw against New Blood in what was the highest scoring match of the week. The first two games were both final-frame thrillers, game one going to New Blood 806-795, and they went on to double their lead with a nail-biting 823-820 result in game two. Only 14 pins separated the teams over two games so a draw was very much in Excel’s grasp, and they grabbed it with a more clear-cut 718-770 win in the final game. Mark Spiteri (Fina Excel), 637. Ray Mifsud (New Blood), 595.

Interwetten Alley Catz stay fifth but move a little closer to the leading pack thanks to their 2-6 victory against Sammy's Embroideries (10th).

Game one could have fallen to either side but it was the Catz who prevailed with a 693-708 win. They won the second with a much more comfortable 639-766 score line, and then Sammy’s Embroideries picked up their consolatory two points with a 744-719 win of their own in the last of the series. Philippe Vancell (Interwetten Alley Catz), 566. George Deguara (Sammy’s Embroideries), 533.

Mid-table side Royal Shock (7th) claimed the only full point victory of the week, to the detriment of Right Deal who are currently 6th just two points ahead of their opponents. Right Deal could have made the score board in the first game, losing out by a mere seven pins (700-707), and they duplicated their opening effort in game two, which they lost 700-728. Royal Shock’s series continued to improve, their best coming in game three which they scooped 727-792 to complete the whitewash.

The bottom-of-the-table face-off out between Swoosh and Fireballs started positively for the latter, who drew first blood with a 672-644 win to open the scoring. Swoosh levelled the match to within just one pin with a 673-701 equaliSer in game two, and then went on to claim the match with a 730-775 winner in game three. Ben Carannante (Swoosh), 560. Ramon Casha (Fireballs), 616.

Standings- Division I, Week 10

Aercomms-66, Fina First-56, Fina Excel-56, Ramis-56, Interwetten Alley Catz-46, Right Deal-38, Royal Shock-36, Globalair Travel-32, New Blood-30, Sammy's Embroideries-24, Swoosh-20, Fireballs-20

Bowlers of the week:

Mark Spiteri (Fina Excel) and Rankin Camilleri (Aercomms) 632; Doris Camilleri (Fina Excel) 568.