HSBC continue to impress in their debut season in the Middlesea Valletta Life National League being played at the Eden SuperBowl, scooping an impressive 0-8 win over Ramis to go fourth. Leaders Fina First managed to increase to a six point lead thanks to their 8 - 0 thrashing of Royal Shock, as second placed Aercomms dropped two points in their win against Vintage (2-6). Right Deal also claimed a 100% victory over La Spigola, as did Redwell Heating over league losers Faces, while Sammy’s Embroideries stopped Sagio Investments in their tracks with a 6-2 win.
HSBC couldn’t have hoped for a better first season in the top flight. After a great full point win against Ramis this week, only relative giants such as Fina First, Aercomms and the in-form Sagio Investments are ahead of them with just five weeks of the 23-week long campaign remaining. They started the 0-8 rout with a big 666-806 win in game one, and doubled their lead with a closer 730-755 in game two. They won game three 755-783 to complete the whitewash and claim the best team series of the week, 2344 pins. HSBC replaced the losers in fourth place with the victory. Helenio Grech (HSBC), 598. John Balani (Ramis), 560.
Table-toppers Fina First also netted all eight points in their encounter against struggling Royal Shock, managing to stretch their fragile lead of Div I to six points, and place Royal Shock in the relegation zone. The latter never posed a threat to the Fina outfit, who easily claimed the opener 778-684, and then also took game two 749-656, thus drawing a 187pin advantage as game three loomed. It was to be the closest of the set, but Fina took it 742-693 to secure all eight. Sue Abela (Fina First), 578-Bowler of the Week. Joe Cassar (Royal Shock), 504.
Fina’s increased lead was thanks to Aercomms dropping another two points in their clash with Vintage (2-6, Aercomms). The defending champions started with a 785-800 win in the first of the series, but then Vintage drew level and gained on pinfall with a 792-720 equaliser in game two. Game three was a 668pin disaster for Vintage, with Aercomms’ 775 effort giving them the game, and the match by 50 pins (2245-2295). Ray Falzon Reale (Aercomms), 615-Bowler of the Week. Lawrence Bonnici (Vintage), 540.
Sagio Investments stay third, in spite of losing out 6-2 to Sammy’s Embroideries this week, the latter moving up one spot to sixth. Sammy’s opened the scoring with a good 774-687 in game one, and then rolled a slightly better 789 in game two, but a good 804 from Sagio Investments meant the match was levelled. Sammy’s came back too clinch game three 681-664 and so won the series points by 89 pins (2244-2155). Leli Scerri (Sammy’s Embroideries), 576. Malcolm Pace (Sagio Investments), 549.
Right Deal snatched a 0-8 victory from an unsettled La Spigola side, the latter once again drifting dangerously close to the drop-zone. The match progressed fully in Right Deal’s favour with game scores of; 700-719, 665-726, 740-748. Right Deal advance one place to fifth with the win, while the losing side drop a spot to ninth. Franco Ricci (Right Deal), 569. Alan Sammut (La Spigola), 519.
The last encounter of the evening also ended 0-8, this time Redwell Heating claiming an easy, yet welcome victory over last-placed Faces. Redwell took an early lead by winning game one 639-714, and then made it 0-4 by taking game two 667-783. Game three finished 709-732 to hand them the 100% win, and also drag them out of the relegation area into eighth place.
Doris Camilleri (Redwell Heating), 553. Frans Vella (Faces), 522.
Standings-Division I
(Week 18)
Fina First-104, Aercomms-98, Sagio Investments-80, HSBC-78, Right Deal-77, Sammy’s Embroideries-74, Ramis-72, Redwell Heating-65, La Spigola-64, Royal Shock-60, Vintage-56, Faces-36
Bowlers of the Week
Ray Falzon Reale(Ramis 615); Sue Abela (Fina First 578)