Week three of the Middlesea Valletta Life National League saw Sagio Investments pick up their third successive victory against La Spigola at the Eden SuperBowl, maintaining their joint lead, level with Aercomms, who are in the top spot due to their better total pinfall to date. Aercomms have also won all three matches to date, Ramis the unlucky losers this week. Fina First lie in third place after scooping the only full-point win of the week against HSBC, although incredibly all three games were claimed by Fina in the very last frame. Elsewhere there were victories for Royal Shock agains Faces, Right deal over Vintage and also Redwell Heating against Sammy’s Embroideries.

Sagio Investments are orchestrating a serious challenge on the League title at this early stage of the new season, matching defending champs Aercomms on twenty points at the top of Div I after their third successive match win. They faced the youthful La Spigola outfit this week, the latter actually making the score-board first with a close 784-772 win in game one. Sagio Investments picked up the pace from then onwards, levelling the match with a 751-772 win in the second, backed up with a 756-785 clincher in game three to give them the series points by 38 pins (2,291-2,329). Clive Saliba (Sagio Investments), 576. Alan Sammut (La Spigola), 583.

Aercomms remain in the No. 1 spot thanks to another 6-2 victory for them over Ramis. Aercomms were 22 pins better in game one to draw first blood (775-753), but it was all square after Ramis’ tight 790-800 second game equaliser. This left Aercomms with a marginal 12-pin advantage as the deciding third game commenced, but they made sure of the match with a 784-722 win to take the series by 74 pins (2,349-2,275). Kenneth Arpa (Aercomms), 654, Bowler of the Week. Leli Baldacchino (Ramis), 614.

Fina First notched up the only 100% win of the week to the detriment of HSBC, who must be kicking themselves after all three games came down to the final frames in this nerve wracking encounter. Game one ended 758-746, the twelve pin advantage for Fina First being the largest of the whole series. Game two was decided by a mere three pins, 737-734 the result, and so was game three which finished 747-744. This meant that only eighteen pins separated the two teams over the series (2,242-2,224), surely the closest 8-0 victory ever witnessed in a league fixture. Brian Farrugia (Fina First), 653. Ray Mifsud (HSBC), 576.

Right Deal climb to fifth place after their week three win over Vintage, 2-6 the final result. Right Deal were 75 pins ahead after easily winning game one 680-755, and extended that lead to 141 with a 740-806 winner in game two to double their point advantage. Game three was closer, and a low 684 from Right Deal allowed a two point share for Vintage who were 17 better on 701. Shawn Bugeja (Right Deal), 585. Lawrence Bonnici (Vintage), 568.

Royal Shock also took six points from their match to go fourth, with Faces (11th) ending up on the losing end. The opening game of the set was an easy win for Royal Shock, 755-662 the scoreline, but Faces came back with a tight 650-652 win in game two to make it 2-2, although ‘the Shockers’ still held a considerable 91 pin cushion as game three rolled off. The game fell 728-703 in Royal Shock’s favour to secure the 6-2 victory. David Fenech (Royal Shock), 575.

Redwell Heating clinched their first victory of the season with a 6-2 beating of Sammy’s Embroideries, lifting themselves out of the bottom spot with the result. Game one was Redwell’s best effort of the night, finishing 843-670 to open the scoring. Sammy’s made it 2-2 by taking game two 752-792, but Redwell Heating rallied to win the third 738-713 to make sure of the majority win. Doris Camilleri (Redwell Heating), 619, Bowler of the Week. Sammy Borg (Sammy’s Embroideries), 533.

Standings - Division I, Week 3

Aercomms-20, Sagio Investments-20, Fina First-18, Royal Shock-14, Right Deal-13, Vintage-12, Sammy’s Embroideries-11, La Spigola-8, HSBC-8, Redwell Heating-8, Faces-8, Ramis-4

Bowlers of the Week

Kenneth Arpa (Aercomms) 654; Doris Camilleri (Redwell Heating) 619.