In week four of the Middlesea Valletta Life National League, Fina managed to open a two-point lead at the top of the standings after their convincing victory over Royal Shock.
Below Fina, Ramis and okmalta.com both dropped two points in their wins over Turu’s Knights and The Clan respectively.
After two weeks of level pegging, Fina gained a high-scoring win over Royal Shock to go two points clear.
Royal Shock’s opening 799 effort would have earned them the points against probably any other team, but unluckily for them, Fina were the only side to better it, their 833 putting them ahead.
It was 4-0 after game two which Fina won 764-836, going on to complete the whitewash with a 779-849 game three win.
Fina’s 2,518 series was the best of the week, with Royal Shock’s 2,342 tally the second-best to further add to their frustration at not bagging a single point.
Ramis are now in second place, two points down on 28, after they beat fourth-placed Turu’s Knights 6-2. They opened their account with a 759-791 initial win, but then dropped to a 678 game in the second, allowing the Knights to level things with their 697 score. The match swung back in Ramis’s favour in the deciding third game as they won that 732-791 to secure victory.
Third-placed okmalta.com also picked up six points in this week’s clash against The Clan (seventh). In a similar pattern, they too were the early leaders after a 768-737 game one win, before The Clan hit back with a 743-766 win in game two to square the match.
The third game was another close affair which went okmalta.com’s way with a 709-691 scoreline to hand the latter the series (2,220-2,194).
PharmaVet have had a shaky start to the season but their 6-2 win against HSBC dragged them out of the relegation zone, up into seventh place.
Gladiators are still firmly rooted to the bottom of the table on zero points after suffering their fourth consecutive 8-0 drubbing, this time at the hands of Globalair.
Bowlers of the week: Joe Cassar (Royal Shock) 617; Sue Abela (Fina) 682.
Standings (after week four): Fina 30; Ramis 28; okmalta.com 24; Turu’s Knights, Globalair 18; Royal Shock, PharmaVet 12; The Clan 10; HSBC 8; Gladiators 0.