The sixth MTBA Masters, newly supported by Sigma Paints, was played recently at the Eden SuperBowl.
The Masters is an open event with the top eight seeds in the MTBA list, based on individual scores in all local competitions during 2012, were given a free pass into the latter stages. Male and female bowlers compete in a single division and the ladies are granted an eight-pin bonus per game.
The qualification stage was played over six games for simple total pinfall. The top four performers were Paul Baldacchino (1,166), Denis Mercieca (1,163), Joanna Attard (1,153) and two-handed bowler, Peter Dunbavin.
They moved to the next round which featured the top eight – Mark Spiteri, Kenneth Arpa, Justin Caruana Scicluna, Mauro Anastasi, Neil Sullivan, Ray Falzon Reale, Rankin Camilleri and Sue Abela.
After another six-game series the eight bowlers with the highest scorers advanced to the next stage – a single round-robin with extra points being awarded for game wins, draws and high scores.
The ones who made the third round were Anastasi, Caruana Scicluna, Falzon Reale, Spiteri, Mercieca, Arpa, Abela and Baldacchino.
Anastasi was definitely going to be the bowler to catch in the round robin stage after his performance in the previous round (1,357 pins, 226.1 average).
Anastasi did lose his opening two matches but did well in scores (223, 184) to stay in contention.
The wins were bound to come and Anastasi picked up three in a row, then lost game six before finishing with a game seven win.
Bonus for high games of 223, 219, 266, 245, 222 and 202 built on what was an excellent set, keeping Anastasi on top of the field with 1,676 pins.
Spiteri was second (1,652), followed by Abela (1,643) and the remaining semi-final spot was claimed by Caruana Scicluna (1,630).
Anastasi faced Caruana Scicluna in the first semi-final.
Anastasi just managed to get the better of his opponent after a shaky start to a cagey match while Abela emerged victorious from her match against Spiteri.
The title-decider was played on a best-of-three basis.
It was a real ‘humdinger’, with Anastasi taking the opener 233-202 but Abela levelled with a 229-225 equaliser.
All depended on the third tie in the final series and it was Anastasi’s high-rolling consistency that won him through in the end, as his final 234-215 win handed him the Masters title for his first time.