Week three of the new MSV Life National League saw Okmalta.com extend their Division I lead, and maintain their 100% points record thanks to a huge 0 – 8 win over Turu’s Knights. Fina also took all eight from their clash with bottom side, Bank Of Valletta. Fina replace Rogantino’s Restaurant in second place, the latter having shared the week three points in a four-all draw with St. James Hospital. Bowlers on Strike also bagged a full-pointer against The Clan, While J Grima & Co VS Ramis produced the second draw of the evening.

It’s early days, but new champions okmalta.com are bang on course to retain their title, having picked up three straight 8 – 0 victories in as many weeks. This dream start to the Winter season puts okmalta.com eight points clear at the top. Their week three victims were Turu’s Knights, and the first game of the three-set went 693 – 741 to the leaders, which proved to be the closest game of the series. The seemingly unstoppable champions improved as the match progressed, as they took game two 719 – 844, and then rounded off the thrashing with an inspired 839 – 940 game three win.

Fina move up into second place on sixteen points, thanks to an 8 – 0 thrashing of last placed team, Bank of Valletta this week. There wasn’t a lot to thrill in game one which Fina won 738 – 722, but game two saw a considerable improvement, finishing 858 – 716 to double Fina’s lead to 4 – 0. The last of the set was another easy one, falling 791 – 680 to seal all eight for Fina.

Bowlers on Strike scooped up the third 100% win of the week, with ninth place The Clan on the receiving end of the drubbing. The eventual victors were seldom troubled by their opponents during the course of the match, winning the opener 697 – 779, and then going four up with a 652 – 712 game two result. Game three was a little closer, but Bowlers on Strike were up for the challenge, winning it 854 – 787 to win 0 – 8.

Rogantino’s Restaurant featured in the first of two tied matches in week three, and lost their second spot to Fina, thanks to their 4 – 4 finish with St. James Hospital. The latter were first on the scoreboard, taking the first game 804 – 712, but became square after two, as Rogantino’s managed to inch past them for a 689 – 693 leveller. Game three was a little more open, going 758 – 777 to Rogantino’s, but St. James’ big game one majority sealed the series points for them (2251 – 2182), to force the draw.

The second draw result of the week was that between J Grima & Co and Ramis. In a very similar sequence of events, it was the former who took the early advantage thanks to a 799 – 675 game one victory, before Ramis bounced back to make it two-all with a cagey 743 – 761 game two equalizer. Ramis improved further to win the last of the series 717 – 817, but again it was that all important game one pinfall difference that earned J Grima & Co an equal share of the spoils (2259 – 2253).