Stunning win for Café D'Or over Fina Excel

Aercomms bowled the series of the week in round six of the Middlesea Valletta Life National Leagues, currently being played at the Eden SuperBowl, as they shot a staggering 2426 pins in their 6-2 victory over Maltacom to stay top.

The shock of the week however, was the eight-point drubbing of Fina Excel by Division One newcomers Café D'Or. The latter move up to seventh place as Excel's disastrous season continues.

Café D'Or's primary goal is survival in their first season in Division One, and that now looks to be a certainty on the strength of their 8-0 thrashing of Fina Excel.

Excel opened with a 706 against Café D'Or's 755 in the first game, and then could have drawn level in game two, but they lost 753-758.

Game three saw Excel's worst, and their opponents' best, finishing 677-818 to confirm the whitewash. Brian Farrugia bowled a good 623 for an otherwise poor Fina Excel side, and there was a 630 for Martin Deguara for the winners.

Aercomms' title defence is still on line after their 6-2 win over fifth-placed Maltacom, as the leaders rolled the highest team series once again.

They blasted Maltacom with a huge 864-714 in game one, and then claimed game two 800-775, meaning that Maltacom had a 175-pin mountain to climb in game three if they were to force a draw.

Maltacom produced their highest game of the night, winning it 762-817, only enough for a two-point share.

Paul Baldacchino's 659 made him top for the Aercomms boys, while Maltacom's George Ferris managed a 614.

Third placed Veltins have drafted in new blood in the form of English youngster Chris Beesley.

The move seemed to pay off as Beesley claimed the 'high-man' honours with a 597 series on his first outing, helping his new team-mates on to an 8-0 win against The Masacuatas. The Masacuatas' best bowler for this week was Shawn Bugeja with a 526 series.

Ramis rose to fourth place after their 0-8 beating of Thunder Storm.

They claimed the low-scoring opener by just 14 pins (684-698), and followed up with a more convincing 716-764 win in game two.

Both sides improved for game three which also fell to Ramis 799-815, their 78-pin advantage giving them the series points.

Harold Caruana rolled a sound 596 for the winners, while Simon Burke's 558 was tops for the losers.

In other games, Toons went down 2-6 at the hands of Royal Shock and Fina First could only manage a sloppy 4-4 draw against bottom side Vodafone, but remain second on 32 points, four down on the leaders.