Rounds Two & Three

The men's field, now reduced to the leading 24 from the original twelve qualifying games, has now progressed to the second round of four more games, pinfall carried forward, from which the top 12 will advance to Round 3.

The women had a rest from this squad but they take to the lanes at 16:00 for their next block of four games from which the top eight will qualify for tomorrow morning's round robin.

In the men's 24, a reversal of fortune for qualifying leader Stig Harmansson, dropping from first place to fourth, blaming his downfall on the changed lane pattern. Now we have a new frontrunner in the person of Hermann Wimmer from Germany, a veteran player well in contention in most european senior events.

The cut to twelve comes in favor of France with Serge Frouvelle on the cusp with 3044. Englishman Ian Lindsay has the misfortune of 13th place and can now only watch from the sidelines.

The fortunate twelve will play four more games in Round 3, starting at 16:00, alongside the remaining ten women in the distaff field. The eight leaders of the men's and women's fields will then advance to the round robins on Sunday morning at 09:00.  The men's play will be web streamed live on: www.bambuser.com/channel/talktenpin.

ROUND 2 - WOMEN:

Now the octet for the  women's round robin has been decided and leader of the women's division is Liz Griffin from Bournemouth, England, competing in the Malta Senior Open for the fourth time, even though she certainly does not look old enough to be in this senior division. "This is my best position, I've never got this far before," she told us.

Second seed is previous tournament leader Hannele Uotila from Finland, just three points aback of Griffin and early leader Inger Petersson from Sweden completes a close fought trio at the top of the table.

Two had to drop out of contention at this stage and falling by the wayside are Lynne Palmer of England and Malta's own Josephine Borg, both well behid eighth placed Jan Hodge, also from England.

MEN - ROUND 3:
The crowd gathered around lanes 17-18 in the last game of this squad to watch previous Malta Open and Malta Senior Open

champion Chris Vandamme from Knokke, Belgium as he strung eight strikes after an opening 9-spare. But a ball far too close to the gutter in the tenth frame took only seven pins and he finished with 266.

But that 266 was just what the doctor ordered to take over the lead and push Hermann wimmer down into second place, 19 points back. Defending champion rosario Bellomonte is still well and truly in the hunt, now lying third and fourth goes to Stig Hermansson, who seems to have got over throwing his toys out of his pram when the changed lane pattern was announced.

Sadly we have to say farewell to four from this group as just eight remain for tomorrow's round robin, so sitting on the bleachers will be Jurgen Preuss, Germany; Paul Gay, Jersey; Magnar Dymes, Norway and Serge Frouvelle, France.

MEN'S ROUND 3:

MEN'S TOP 24 - ROUND TWO: