DMDA Bowleros rule FTBK tournament qualifying round

Top 6 teams gear for championship series

By Miguel Carlos

KUWAIT CITY, March 26: After 18 weeks of top caliber pin busting in the elimination round, the long road to the finals finally came to end and the top six teams headed by leading qualifier DMDA Bowleros will now gear up for the upcoming double round robin championship series of the on-going 2016-2017 2nd FTBK-ROBINSON’S Tenpin Bowling Team Tournament being held at the Cozmo Entertainment Center bowling lanes in Salmiya. Joining the architectural designers in the quest for the coveted title in order of their final placing in the team standing are the World Class Keglers, Cozmo Salmiya, D’ Islanders, Rock N Bowl and the resilient K2E2 Thunders who held on the last finals berth. The other four teams on the other hand who will be sitting out the next two weeks after missing the cut are Siete Pares 2, NLB Corporation, defending champion Siete Pares 1 and Strikers X.

At the end of the penultimate 17th week of the preliminary round, four teams headed by front runner DMDA, World Class, Cozmo and D’ Islanders succeeded in securing their place in the final round leaving the remaining two slots up for grabs between the other four teams still contention namely Rock N Bowl, K2E2, Siete Pares 1 and Siete Pares 2. Looking back at the most interesting match among the contenders, Siete Pares 1 in 8th position went up against the tail biting Strikers X hoping to get a chance to defend its Season 9 title. In game one of the 4-game series match, the Strikers X pin breakers showed its eagerness to play the role of spoiler as they grounded Siete Pares 1 via a 780-716 score. Siete Pares 1 then came back strong in game 2 with a 783-668 victory to grab a 51 pin fall lead courtesy of Jazel Pangilinan, Rico Galang, Ritz Vidana and Egay Cabildo. The stay of Siete Pares 1 in the driver’s seat proved to be short lived as Strikers X led by Mousa Abdullah, Vicky Navarro, Benny Chan, Jowie Concepcion, JR Sabado and Fredy Marzo regain the upper hand through a 781-694 win in game three before ending the Season 10 campaign of Siete Pares 1 with a 738616 victory in the fourth game of the match. Final score of the encounter was 2,992-2,809 in favor of Strikers X.

Meanwhile on lanes 3 and 4, the 7th ranked Siete Pares 2 lane masters who are hoping to catch Rock N Bowl and K2E2 was off to a good start as they rolled to

This matches will be held next tuesday at the Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club with Habtoor vs Wolves playing at 3 pm and Bin Drai vs Mahra from 4.30 pm.

Abu Dhabi Polo Team will play the final of the Subsidiary Cup next friday before the Dubai Challenge Cup final. The rival of Abu Dhabi will be the winner of the Subsidiary semifinal between Zedan Polo and Bangash Polo. This match will be held next Wednesday March 29.

Next matches for the Dubai Challenge Cup: Semifinals- Tuesday March 28 3 pm: Habtoor Polo vs Wolves 4.30 pm: Mahra vs Bin Drai Polo

Rock N Bowl

POTSDAM, Germany, March 26, (AP): Tyron Zeuge retained his WBA super middleweight title by unanimous decision over Isaac Ekpo of Nigeria despite the bout stopping in the fifth round due to a cut above his eye on Saturday.

The unbeaten German shaded the opening rounds but clashed heads with Ekpo in the third, opening the large cut over his right eye. Accidental headbutt, said the referee, who allowed the fight to proceed.

Encouraged by blood streaming from the wound, Ekpo dominated the next round as Zeuge held on with his vision impaired. The ring doctor checked the cut in the fifth and the bout was ended when he had to check it again.

Meanwhile, Jorge Linares beat Anthony Crolla by unanimous decision for the second time in six months to keep the WBA lightweight title on Saturday.

Linares gave Crolla a rematch in the same Manchester Arena before Crolla’s supporters, and the Venezuelan proved superior again to all three judges, who each scored it 118-109.

Linares even knocked down Crolla in the seventh round.

Having relieving Crolla of the title in September, Linares improved his record to 42-3 (27 KOs). He hasn’t lost in five years.