In the Premier Division, the top two local teams – defending champions Pawla Wolves Assikura and Birkirkara BC – are playing each other five times over a three-month period in order to determine the winner of the national championship title.

Each fixture consists of five different games: Men’s and Women’s Singles, Men’s and Women’s Doubles as well as Mixed Doubles. All fixtures are played at the Cottonera Sports Complex.

After winning the first of this five-match series 4-1, the Paolites maintained their momentum by taking the second one as well, this time with a 3-2 final score.

The match turned out to be a veritable uphill struggle for the Wolves, as they had to start from a 0-2 deficit following the last minute withdrawal of David Cole due to sickness.

Since he could not be replaced at such short notice, his reluctant absence from the match signified that both the Men’s Singles and the Men’s Doubles games were awarded to B’Kara.

This left the defending champions with very little choice; they had to win all the remaining three games if they wanted to secure the match.

And this they did, by playing their hearts out in a clearly determined fashion, thereby showing their mettle while moving another step closer to the national championship.

Didi Rasamayii set the Wolves on their way by winning her Ladies’ Singles against Maria Borg at the end of yet another three-set thriller between these two sporting rivals.

After narrowly losing the first set 18/21, the Dutch player ably recovered her composure to take the next two sets 21/12 and 21/13.

Rasamayii figured again in the Ladies’ Doubles, where she was partnered by Catherine Dimech, in which the Wolves’ duo defeated Jacqueline De Giovanni/Fiorella Farrugia in two straight sets: 21/15 - 21/16.

With the partial score thus tied at 2-2, the final Mixed Doubles was therefore to decide the outcome of this match.

Kenneth Vella/Joanne Cassar started well for the Wolves by taking the opening set 21/15 over Robert Salomone/Fiorella Farrugia.

However, the B’Kara pair made amends for this setback by taking the second one 21/16.

Nevertheless, it was the Vella/Cassar pair who had the final say by just edging their opponents 21/19 at the end of a balanced third set.

This second consecutive win in the five-match series puts the Wolves on velvet as they now need only one more win from the remaining three encounters in order to definitely put the championship title beyond their opponents’ reach.

On the other hand, the psychological pressure is all piled on B’Kara, which now cannot afford any more slip-ups if they are to stand a chance of wresting the national title from the Paolites’ grasp.

The third encounter in the five-match championship series between these two teams is scheduled for the 1 April. Additional information can be accessed from www.bamintonmalta.org