With just one regular fixture left, before the final ‘position night’ in the Middlesea Valletta Life National League, Fina First have again managed to improve on their slight lead thanks to their 2-6 win against Vintage, and also the misfortunes of Aercomms who went down against Sagio Investments with a similar score line.
Ramis managed to take all eight points against Right Deal to climb to fourth place at this very late stage in the season, while other week 21 results at the SuperBowl saw Redwell Heating scoop all eight against La Spigola, HSBC win 2-6 in their clash with Faces, while the match between Royal Shock and Sammy’s Embroideries ended 4-all.
Fina First were holding desperately onto a one point lead going into their week 21 match against Vintage, having suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Sammy’s Embroideries in week 20, allowing defending champions Aercomms to narrow the gap in their challenge at the top.
Vintage were no match for Fina In the opening game, cruising to a 716-831 win, before doubling their points with a better 736-868 result in game two.
Game three saw a bizarre change of fortune for the leaders, who dropped two easy points by narrowly losing it 715-710 to hand Vintage a two point share. Sue Abela (Fina First), 659, Bowler of the Week. Angelo Dingli (Vintage), 523.
Third placed Sagio Investments did Fina a favour, and kept themselves in the reckoning by beating Aercomms, also by a 2-6 margin. It was a see-saw of a match which saw Sagio Investments take an early lead with a tight 709-719 opening win.
The teams slugged out game two frame by frame, and it eventually went to Aercomms 800-787 to make it 2-2, with only three pins separating the teams going into game three. Again, there wasn’t a lot between the teams, but Sagio clinched it 703-725, and so take the series by 19 pins (2,212-2,231). Dominic Vella (Sagio Investments), 543. Ray Falzon Reale (Aercomms), 584.
Ramis move up into fourth place with a sound 8-0 victory over Right Deal (7th). After game one went to Ramis by just 9 pins (745-736), they improved to a more convincing 817-714 win in game two to make it 4-0, and then game three finished 738-698 to complete the whitewash. Benny Hili (Ramis), 575. Danial Swift (Right Deal), 565.
Redwell Heating may have bought safety with their 0-8 victory over La Spigola this week. La Spigola were disappointed to leave the match empty-handed, as it was a close one from the start, game one finishing 689-712.
Game two was decided by only twelve points, 733-745 the score, while the third was the closest of the set, finishing 760-769. Neil Sullivan (Redwell Heating), 569. Ryan Grech (La Spigola), 559.
HSBC are tied with Ramis on 92 points, but lie in fifth place on total pinfall. This week they claimed a majority victory against Faces, who are now mathematically certain to be relegated. HSBC won the first game by only thirteen pins (714-727), but Faces came back to level the match by winning game two 688-655. The match was anybody’s as game three began, and HSBC clinched it with a 681-718 win to take the series by a mere 17 pin margin (2,083-2,100). Marco Porsella Flores (HSBC), 544. Giancarlo Tolu (Faces), 543.
Royal Shock occupy the tenth spot, currently facing relegation unless they can make the most of the remaining two matches.
Week 21 saw them share the points with Sammy’s Embroideries (5th) in a 4-all draw. Sammy’s drew first blood by easily winning game one 720-779, but then Royal Shock made it 2-2 with a tight 774-771 win in game two.
Royal Shock also took game three in another close call, 763-756 the score, meaning Sammy’s Embroideries took the series points to force the draw (2257-2306). Anthony Paris (Sammy’s Embroideries), 564. Pierre Yves Galea (Royal Shock), 636, Bowler of the Week.
Standings - Division I, Week 21
Fina First-114, Aercomms-109, Sagio Investments-100, Ramis-92, HSBC-90, Right Deal-89, Redwell Heating-77, La Spigola-76, Royal Shock-69, Vintage-60, Faces-40
Bowlers of the Week
Pierre Yves Galea (Royal Shock) 636; Sue Abela (Fina First) 659