The latest MSV Life National League has come down to the very last of the 18-week long season, for the new champions to finally be known.

That considerable honour will be going to either defending champions Ramis (100pts), who face bottom side Salitos in week 18, Fina (98 pts) who will play fifth placed Royal Shock, or Ramis who face fourth side Turu’s Knights in their respective clashes.

All three sides bagged all eight points from their week 17 matches, to ensure a surely nail-biting finale.

Leaders okmalta.com met Royal Shock in their penultimate match, claiming all eight from an encounter that could easily have gone a different way for them. Okmalta.com’s took the opening game by a mere thirteen pins (725-712), and then made it 4-0 with a little more breathing space in game two which ended 79-746.

Royal Shock came extremely close to stealing a two point share in game three, which the defending champions took by just five pins (742-737) to make sure of all eight. Dennis Mercieca (okmalta.com), 590. Joe Cassar (Royal Shock), 620.

Fina kept up the pressure with their own full-pointer over HSBC this week, but were fortunate not to stumble at the first hurdle, which they won with a low 732 game, against an even poorer 721 from HSBC.

Fina doubled their lead with a more convincing 736-773 game two victory, and then continued to improve to the series end with a 774-822 game three win to stay just two points away from okmalta.com, and possible league glory. Sue Abela (Fina), 604, female bowler of the week. Ray Mifsud (HSBC), 570.

Ramis had an easier time in picking up their 100% victory, although opponents The Clan almost snatched a last gasp quarter share in game three. Ramis sailed through the opener, winning it 811-645 for the early advantage, and then went four up with an 823-768 win in the second, to give them a wood advantage of 221 pins as game three rolled off.

The Clan were only 13 away from taking away some consolation points, but in the end the game fell 773-760 to Ramis to complete the whitewash. Ray Falzon Reale (Ramis), 647, male bowler of the week. Matthew Cossai (The Clan), 571.

Turu’s Knights are guaranteed to take fourth place, having beaten relegated Salitos 2-6 in week seventeen.

After winning game one 718-774, the Knights also took game two, 713-747 for a 0-4 lead. Salitos had nothing to lose, or lose from the encounter, but managed to claw back two points thanks to a 772-745 game three win.

Tiziana Carannante (Turu’s Knights), 584. David Xuereb (Salitos), 533.

Gladiators were also mathematically beyond salvation as they came into their match against eighth placed Malta Int. Airport, but managed an all too rare 6-2 victory.

They were first to make the score board thanks to their 726-760 game one win, but it was soon all square as MIA responded with a 748-687 game two equaliser.

Then in game three, MIA pulled their best game of the evening out of the bag, winning it 748-798 to carry off the lion’s share of the spoils. James Gauci Borda (Gladiators), 544, Antoine Cuschieri (Malta Int. Airport), 552.

Bowlers of the Week

Ray Falzon Reale (Ramis), 647; Sue Abela (Fina), 604

Standings - Div. I, Week 17

Okmalta.com-100, Fina-98, Ramis-97, Turu’s Knights-86, Royal Shock-72, HSBC-62, The Clan-62, Malta Int. Airport-48, Gladiators-29, Salitos-26

Standings - Div. II, Week 17

Supreme-95, J Grima & Co-92, Middlesea Insurance-80, BOV-74, Vintage-72, Blitzkrieg-66, Spare Me Plz-58, X S-57, Atlas-52, One 4 All-34