okmalta.com, Globalair share points in top-two clash
Fina, Ramis stay in touch with frontrunners
Week thirteen of the Middlesea Valletta Life National League featured a top-of-the-table clash between okmalta.com and Globalair Travel. The points were shared in a four-all draw.
Fina collected a six-point win against Salitos while fourth-placed Ramis claimed all eight at the expense of PharmaVet to stay in the title race. There was also a full-point victory for Turu's Knights against HSBC but they are still 29 points down on the leaders in fifth place.
Leaders okmalta.com charged out of the blocks with a superb 855- 785 game one win before doubling their advantage with an even better 872-826 result in the second.
But the tables were turned in the last of the three-game set as Globalair bounced back to produce a huge 920 game to beat okmalta.com's 729, and wipe out the latter's series advantage and force the draw (2,456-2,531).
Fina opened strongly against Salitos, winning the first game 739-883 but then allowed Salitos in to level the match by winning game two 785-762.
Fina regrouped and won the last of the set 778-822, taking the series points by 165 for the match (2,302-2,467).
Ramis kept things tight in Division One, bagging an 8-0 victory over PharmaVet. They opened the scoring with a sound 855-785 initial win and then went four ahead by easily taking the second, 841- 741.
They seemed like a different team in the final game, shooting a low 699, but luckily for them their opponents fared even worse, losing it with a lowly 636 tally.
Turu's Knights (fifth) notched up the only other full-point win of the night, with seventh placed HSBC finishing on the wrong end of the scoreline.
The Clan and Bank of Valletta are almost sure to be bowling in the second division next season, the two meeting in week 13 both hoping for a lifeline victory. This went to the Clan who beat BOV 6-2. The latter remain anchored to the foot of the standings, a daunting 27 points away from safety while The Clan are 14 points adrift in ninth.
Div. One standings: okmalta.com 80; Globalair Travel 76; Fina 74; Ramis 71; Turu's Knights 51; PharmaVet 50; HSBC 40; Salitos 39; The Clan 25; Bank of Valletta 12.
Div. Two standings: Royal Shock 96; Wasodol 80; NINE 74; Supreme Casino 72; J. Grima & Co 66; Gladiators 62; Vintage 58;Blitzkrieg 52; Four Play 44; Baboons 44; XS 36; Touch of Class 36.
Bowlers of the week: Sue Abela (Fina) 669; Ray Falzon Reale (okmalta.com) 715.