Asian Air Safari Team

KUWAIT CITY, May 15: Asian Air Safari continues to soar as it registered its sixth week winning streak, moving up to the second top spot of the ‘Magic 6’ overtaking Nile River Strikers and Original Pin Killers on the third and fourth spots respectively while Nusantara and Cozmo were tied on the fifth and sixth places in the seventh week of the Philippine Bowling Association in Kuwait - 2017 Philippine Independence Bowling Cup elimination round held at the COZMO Bowling Center in Khaifan. There were no changes in the ranking of the other six teams outside the top six. Teams that won last Friday were Al Qaseem All Stars, COZMO, Fiery Dragons, Swooping Eagles, Original Pin Killers and Asian Air Safari that also grabbed the team of the week high series.The neophyte team INC Kuwait  bowed down to the Asian Air Safari 2909- 2152. In the scheduled 3-game series the victorious team crushed their opponents with the scores of 899- 670, 998- 769,  987- 713. Waleed Al Gharib piloted his team for the win with his 179/213/227 (619), supported by Saleh Khaled (597), Aseel Al Roumi (528), Naseer Hajras (493), Sonia Mathews, Mariam Qabandi and Hermie Saliba while the 5-man team of INC Kuwait were Jinky Sobremonte (408), Mario Balzote (350), Kerwin Lazaro (347), Hermie Ramos (328) and Michelle Ponce (296).The Original Pin Killers stopped the supposedly sixth winning spree of Nile River Strikers when the OPK won the second and third game 928- 907/919- 894 while the former won the first game 966- 878. After the summation of the final score 2775- 2767, OPK won by just eight points plus the 25 win points. Original Killers pivot man Rashid Aker Ali (554) was the highest pointer followed by Ali Arqoub (371),  Jun Husmillo (343), Christopher Bush (324), Aris de Guzman (321), Ishaaq Al Waahid (317) and Aji Varghese (284) while Nile River team the top scorer was Farid Gabriel (551) assisted by Habeeb Reda (529), Rani Skeik (507), Neveen Wasel (503) and Mostafa Dardara and Rudy de Lima. Despite the win OPK dropped to fourth place and Nile River Strikers slid to third spot.Despite three successive losses of Nusantara, this team still relished the membership of the ‘magic 6’ but in the brink of collapse due to remaining matches with the three giants of the tournament namely Asian Air Safari, Original Pin Killers and Al Qaseem. Consequently, even they lost the games against the three superpowers but  if they can score at least above 2800 per match then, they still have a big chance for the championship round. The mediocre Fiery Dragons annihilated the Nusantara bowlers in their first two games of their match 903- 845/921- 834 but in the third game the Indonesian team outplayed the Dragons 926- 880 but still lost the match 2779-2630. This is the third win recorded for the seventh outings of Fiery Dragons and still can’t go out from the eighth spot. Mar Evanglista (563) was the top scorer followed by Myra Manalo (495), Mandy Manalo (488), Moises Amahan (469), Joel Tizon and Eden Evangelista while Nusantara high scorer was Gantosori (502), assisted by Saleh Al Faraj (493), Tatang Razak, Ahmad Fahmi, Bima Nitikusumo, Abel Nitikusumo and Erlisa Gantosori.Highly favoured COZMO team registered its third week winning streak as they subdued the helpless  Mangaf Strikers 2887- 2586. Ronell Valencia (571) lead his team, assisted by Noe Mahayag (551), Gani dela Cruz, Abdul Wahab Ali, Mohammad Karam, Ali Al Qattan and Lito Michael while Mangaf Strikers 5-man team were Adolfo Prena (441), Ceddie Martin Faa (425), Robert Opena (404), Alex Cervantes (507) and Neng Cervantes (455). Al Qassem All Star overwhelmed the Indian Bowling League in their encounter 2703- 2580. In the first two games 858- 789, 923- 868 Al Qaseem won the games and in the third game IBL retaliated 923- 897. Finally, the Swooping Eagles overpowered J3RC 2883- 2471 but the result did not change their standing.Meanwhilem Ibrahim Al Jadi of Al Qaseem All Stars snatched from Aseel Al Roumi of Asian Air Safari the individual best, in the Individual High Game, (269-257). In the Individual High Average -  Ladies  Class A, Neveen Wasel of Nile River Strikers improved her previous record (171.03) and in Class B, Janet Yamut of Swooping Eagles bested the record of her teammate Angie Bush 162.33- 153.33. Category   Name        Individual High Game  Name        Individual High AverageMen’s AIbrahim Al Jadi                                 269      Fadel Al Qassem        198.90Men’s BSaleh Faraj                                      245      Ibrahim Al Busafi        184.66Men’s CAhmad Fahmi                                  245      Ahmad Fadil Karam                      184.71Ladies ANeveen Wasel                                 249      Neveen Wasel            171.03Ladies BAngie Bush                                      201      Janet Yamut              162.33Team High Game (Scratch)                         Team High Series (Scratch + Handicap)Al Qassem Strikers     - 966Al Qassem Strikers - 2901Weekly High Series:

1. Al Qassem Strikers - 2901
2. Al Qassem Strikers - 2818
3. Asian Air Safari - 2907
4. Nile River Strikers - 2822
5. NUSANTARA - 2854
6. Asian Air Safari - 2809
7. Al Qaseem Strikers - 2899

Seventh round results:

1. Al Qaseem Strikers (19987); 2. Asian Air Safari (19603); 3. Nile River Strikers (19577); 4. Original Pin Killers (19503); 5. NUSANTARA (19213); 6. COZMO (19213); 7. Mangaf Strikers (18891); 8. Fiery Dragons (18679); 9. Swooping Eagles (18621); 10. Indian Bowling League (18251); 11. J3RC (17661) and 12. INC Kuwait (15338).

By Michelle Fe SantiagoArab Times Staff