Badminton Malta is once more organising this season’s edition of this team competition. Made up of the Premier and First Divisions, this event has been kindly sponsored once again by Island Beverages Co. Ltd.

As was the case during the preceding season, the top two local teams ?defending champions Pawla Wolves Assikura and Birkirkara BC ?will be contesting the Premier Division title. They will be playing each other five times over a five-month period in order to determine the winner of the national championship title.

Each fixture consists of five different games: Men’s and Ladies?Singles, Men’s and Ladies?Doubles as well as Mixed Doubles. All the matches are being played at the Cottonera Sports Complex on Wednesday evenings, starting at 7pm.

The Wolves could not have hoped for a better start to this five-match series as they managed to win the initial two encounters. The defending champions edged their direct title contenders with an identical 3-2 score line in each match.

These narrow victories serve to heighten the interest and excitement of the overall competition; the two competing teams seem to be finely balanced, with the Paolites managing each time to put that something extra on court to secure victory.

The defending champions now hold a manifest psychological advantage over their opponents. They are in the enviable position of needing only one win from the remaining three matches to put the Premier Division championship title beyond their opponents’ reach.

Captained by Kenneth Vella, the Wolves are clearly determined to maintain the momentum generated so far.

On the other hand, victory is the only option for B’Kara BC from now onwards. Captained by Stefan Salomone, they will certainly want to recover from such a negative start with a convincing win.

Kenneth Vella did not mince his words when interviewed about the Paolites?prospects. “The squad is training seriously and is completely focussed on the third match? he stated; “we are determined to make it two championship titles in a row?

Stefan Salomone was equally upbeat on B’Kara BC’s chances. “The two initial defeats have turned this competition into an uphill struggle for us but we have not lost the title yet? he contended.

B’Kara BC and Pawla Wolves Assikura will play their decisive third match on Wednesday, 20 February. Additional information can be obtained from www.badmintonmalta.org