ROYAL SHOCK Bowling Team

15/08/2026

Summer League
Week 6: Royal Shock vs OKMalta.com
We knew that we had to be at our best to have a shot at this. With the recent string of truly positive performances and the electric vibe we had as a team, there was a sense of optimism and belief that we have every bright to dream of the impossible. No one dared loudly express this optimism, but it could be felt.

Last week, OKalta.com was on the receiving end of a rare drubbing. Perfect timing as usual. From a mountain to climb to a space rocket to travel with! We were not only facing the historically consistent top dog but a top dog that is licking its fresh wounds, and more profound sense of needing a strong positive injection to save its dented and damaged ego.

We needed to be at our best. Full stop.

The warm up preparations and banter promised for an interesting sporting contest. So, when the whistle blew, all expected a tit-for-tat affair with each of the two teams trying to outsmart and outmanoeuvre the opponent.

It was not like that at all. One team just made Usain Bolt look like a turtle and the other had Usain Bolt mark Mach 200 on their scale!! OKMalta.com was simply in explosive form. 907-684. No story. Clearly, both teams were amazing actors during the warm-up. The banter and laughter hid the deep concentration and determination to dominate and eradicate by OKMalta.com and a deep feeling of uncertainty and inferiority from team Royal Shock.

With that result It seemed that OKMalta.com unloaded the heavy burden they were shouldering. They pressed paused, took a few deep breaths and went off for a refreshing cocktail. Perfect for Royal Shock. While OKMalta took a brief nap, we struck!! Dirven forward by an unstoppable Clive, we registered our best game of the evening. Perfectly timed to coincide with OKMalta’s temporary dip in concentration and effort.848-810. Niiiiice. We win. Points in the bag.

The expected rush to the finish line from OKMMalta.com never materialised in Game 3. Maybe they slightly increased the tempo but could not find tat purring form they registered in game 1. Unfortunately, it seemed that we lost our steam and struggled to move forward. Third game and three pistons out and three flat tyres. We simply could not keep up with what could have been a winnable game.

731-846 for a 2263-2563 total match pin fall and a 27-9 defeat.
Registering the third highest handicap game of the evening, Clive was our best bowler on the eve. It was perfectly timed to push Royal Shock to also register the third highest handicap game of the evening. A positive sign on a day we hoped to do better. But against an OKMalta that notched the best performances in all categories for this week, what else could we have done? So realistically, this was a good result for us.

At the end of the day, the essential question to ask was: Did we expect this performance from OKMalta.com? Yes. Definitely. Did we do enough? Definitely not.

Positively, with this result we climb up to 6th place – but only 6 points separate 7th and 5th place. And with BOOM expected to exhume themselves from this rut at anytime now, its tight in the bottom half of the table.

Forza Royal Shock.

06/08/2026

Summer League
Week 5: Royal Shock vs Radicals

Fifth match of the season and we face newly promoted Team Radical. A young team of raw talent that has already left its mark on the league. Usually, the promoted team is a clear favourite for the drop but this year, Team Radical is doing a mighty good job at breaking that trend and creating a new era of hope for survival for any newly promoted team. They enter this match in mid-table and have a great track record of solid bowling and respectable results.

Within this background, there was one question on everyone’s mind. Can team Royal Shock be a ruthless dream demolisher?

Well. Truth be told, that certainly was not on our minds. Our focus is exclusively on our journey, our performance, our team spirit, our love for the game, our enjoyment and ultimately, crystallising our talent and potential into a reality that goes beyond survival and into the realm of competitive enjoyment and achievement.

The opponent’s profile is not a deterrent but a source of motivation. Team Radical is doing well but we were determined to show them who runs the show in town! Its time for this young, raw, unbridled muscle and talent to bowl against experienced talent tightly wrapped in guile and strategic acumen.

Oxford vs Cambridge it is. River Thames is set to witness and 4-oarsman boat race like its never experienced before!

After a few stretches, a last check of equipment, a dip in the water to gauge the current and wind, its time to take our seats, rub our hands, get a strong hold of our oars and wait for the start gun to fire!

Bang and off we go!!

Those expecting a phase of study and testing the opponent were to be dismayed but quickly delighted! This is no normal race! Both teams are working as hard as they can! Nothing was being saved for later. It here and now. I am the best. No!! They are ahead but we will beat you.

Meter after meter the cycle continued. Each oarsman trying to row harder, faster, stronger than his opponent so that together and in synch, the boat takes a steady lead. But a steady lead there was not. It was head-to-head all the way to the final stretch. Who’s going to win it? It can go either way and all the way!

On the stands, arguments erupted, bets placed. Some favoured experience. Others smothered that theory down to favour the energy and muscle of youth. Its to the wire. Last frame. Last sprint. In theory muscle should win it.

But that’s is when experience and guile come into play. A warning call is heard. Hollered from Royal Shock’s boat. “Watch out!!! Airborne seagull crap heading your way!!”. Ingeniously, Team Radical crutch down, protect their heads from the supposedly incoming missiles! There are none. But its too late. That error of judgement is a costly one. Royal Shock are past the finish line. 879-850 game pin fall. Guile and Experience [8] – Youth and Muscle [2].

The preparatory ritual repeats itself. Both sides eye one another. Team Royal Shock is wearing a wry smile on its face. The Radicals are somewhat stunned. But its game 2 and the start is at 0-0 once again.

This time there will be no tricks to be played on The Radicals. They were expecting everything and reacting to noting. Lesson learnt.
Its truly a head-to-head finish. Even the photo finish could not quite detect the margin and define who won! Enlarge. Still no clarity. Enlarge the photo even further. Analyse pixel by pixel. And finally, there it is. A hair’s breath. The Radicals take this one.

Race analysis shows that it boiled down to the fine fine details. Just milliseconds before crossing the finish line, Royal Shocks’ third oarsman slightly bent his oar too much and so marginally reducing the exit thrust. That was the difference between the two. 833-834 and a 1-pin margin gives Team Radicals the team points...but...it is still Royal Shock that are given the better points margin for their individual race performances. Well done! Guile and Experience [6] – Youth and Muscle [4].

Its into the last game. All to bowl and row for. Royal Shock is marginally ahead as a team. Individual performances are also marginally better. But this race has been truly a battle of equals giving their all to win every point served. And the differential was always a marginal one. And every time it boiled down to the details. The pendulum can sway either way.

The preparatory rehearsals over, a blast is heard. The starter gun has signalled the start of the third and final race! Its the same story all over, Fast. Strong. Breathtaking. At par for almost all the way.
Team Radical and team Royal Shock were individually balanced. But as a team, Radicals’ bat was faring better. Maybe it was a slight breeze or a favourable current, but their boat was sliding through the water with greater ease. That meant that while individual performance points were shared (RS [5]. Radical [3], team points went to Team Radical.

Total match pin fall – 829-850. On the day and in this match, this margin is considered as a good win for Team Radical. But it simply was not enough to nab the 6 points due for total match pin fall. Those points are ours and ours alone. 2541-2534 and we nab it by just 7 pins!! That’s how close this was.

Imagine. Game 3 saw bowler 1 win by 5 pins and Bowlers 2 draw. And that was the pattern in all games bowled. So a well deserved hats off to Team Radical who showed that they have not only the talent and energy of youth but the maturity of a seasoned competitor who can withstand the heat of a strong challenge.

Today, they simply faced a team that was fully determined to show its worth. Royal Shock bowled the highest handicap series, the third highest handicap game and the second highest scratch series today. We were unstoppable. We merited the 25-11 win but admittedly, the storyline was a bit harsh on Team Radical who could have earned a good win had they not face us. Sorry. We were the better team. Experience and guile won over youth talent and muscle. And we’re gloating on that.

For team Royal Shock, Joe Cassar was in impressive form. Highest handicap series and third highest handicap game and second highest scratch series for the week. Fantastic performance.

With this result, we remain on 7th place but manage to marginally widen the gap on bottom placed BOOM to 24 points. The good news is that we are within 6 points off fourth place and 12 from third. So, its pretty tight and anything could happen.

Next up is OKMalta.com who was uncharacteristically limping this week. Obviously, that will not be the case against us.
We believe. Forza Royal Shock

28/07/2026

Week 4: Royal Shock vs Brunswick
An impossible task lies ahead. To win against a top, in-form Brunswick would really be something. The last thing we needed is for our first line-up bowlers to be unavailable. But then again, that is never the true issue here. To some extent its more dependent on what Brunswick will bring to the table. But even there, we have to be at our best to win this one.

The negativity in odds has never been something we dwell on. We see, we acknowledge and with realism we shrug our shoulders and say ‘it’s all up to us’. We bring the best we have in us and something we will take home. Grounded target for this one – 10 points. Won’t be easy but 10 points it will have to be.

And on that note, we can skip Game 1. We lost 10-0. Not quite the right way to start a difficult journey to a difficult points target. But the scoreline is only half of the story. Until very late in the game, we were in for the running to picking up 2 to 4 points. Then we lost energy and opened an opportunity that was obviously not missed. Royal Shock on 3 pistons against Brunswick was another no-go reality.734-851. Poor start.

So, Game 2 began and the exchange immediately sherd light on a different mental approach from team Royal Shock. More focussed, determined and consistent...and now running on four pistons. Team Brunswick was surprised but never shocked. They did what they do always – bowl well, bowl as a team. Tit for tat all along and into the final frame we entered with a marginal lead in most head-to-head confrontations. Total pin-fall was also really close. It was down to the wire.

We held our nerve. We retained our poise. We stood our ground. Bowler 1 – 2 points. Bowler 2 – 2 points. Bowler 3 – 2 points were already lost but a double forced their anchor to a necessary double as a minimum for Brunswick to have a call for the total pin fall. That double did not materialise which meant we took home 8 points from the 10 available. 823-816. Close but we deserved the points.

That brought the score to 12 – 8. Game 3 is the crux. Do we have it in us to spring the unfathomable surprise? The question was on everyone’s lips but lips were sealed and thoughts kept private.

Things got hot under the collar and especially team Brunswick was trying to douse the fire and cool the heat. As the underdogs, we suffered no such anxiety, but the pressure was building inside of us and needed a positive outlet. That outlet was found in the perfect outlet – our bowling performance.

Again, this was proving to be a closely contested game. Each bowler was mirroring their opponent to varying degrees of success. But at the 9th frame, all bowlers were in the zone called ‘I have a chance to win my points’. For us, that’s a great position to be in.
10 pins here and 10 pins there, we manage to bag 4 points (2 direct encounters). Lost the remaining 6 and the 6 points for total match pinfall. 789-7832 for a total match pinfall of 2346-2499 and a 24 -12 defeat. We did better than our initial target. There was a slight disappointment as an easy spare-miss here or a unfavourable pin action there meant that instead of b aging the points, we lost them – marginally.

In these circumstances, you look at the bigger picture. There is more than a sliver lining to it. We were in it always. That is not an easy feat against such a formidable opponent. We won more points than anticipated. Another success. Each of us could have bowled better were it not for avoidable errors. That shows that there is further and realistic potential for growth. Positive. Finally, we push 2 points closer to third from bottom. Another positive take-home. So, all in all, not bad at all.

We now lie second from bottom but with a points tally that sees a gap which is narrower to 5th place than to last place. Another good thing.

It’s a tough season, but we are optimistic. We believe in ourselves s bowlers and as a team. Forza Royal Shock.

24/07/2026

Save the dates !

📅 Save the date!

Mark your calendars and get ready for another unforgettable edition. 🏆

More information will be announced soon. Stay tuned!

21/07/2026

Week 3: Royal Shock vs Supersonic

Third match and first ‘direct’ encounter for team Royal Shock. This is certainly a league where we need to set up if we are to survive. We are certainly a team that all expect will be fighting for survival. But last season we proved to ourselves that we have what it takes to be competitive and to challenge any team with very few exceptions. That was a very important thing for us. It gave us a renewed sense of self-acknowledgement and self-confidence.
Critically, we needed to bring this positive, determined attitude and demeanour to the table today.

Game one started off as a cagey affair. Both sides almost equally matched. Throw for throw. Frame for frame. Not one team, one bowler could distance themselves enough from their direct opponent to create a safe buffer zone. It was down to the wire and at the end of the day, what made the difference was an error here and an error there. 757-710 for an 8-2 win. Not convincing but a very positive start.

The second game was a different affair. Initially a tight affair, Royal Shock quickly began losing ground to what appeared like fate dealing the cards and playing the hands. Supersonic on the other hand were slowly but surely finding their lines and their rhythms. That combination was the perfect recipe for a Royal Shock defeat. 767-802 for a 3-7 defeat.

As the pinfall and scoring shows, it was all to play for in Game 3. Either side could go home happy. Equally possible, either side could go home licking its wounds.

Royal Shock however needed a change in cards dealt and played. Frame 3 and it was already evident that this was going to be a hard nut to crack. While we were prodding along a muddy path under strong wind and rain conditions, Supersonic found a tarmac road and an engine that was purring. Even when dealt with a difficult split, Supersonic was simply super. They made sparing the impossible look so easy time and time again. Well done. That’s what bowling is about.

At the end of it, team Royal Shock was grasping at every branch, w**d or whatever was close enough to find some footing and hopefully grab a point or two. Mostly unsuccessful, the match ended seeing Royal Shock drown. 759-832 for a total match pin fall of 2283-2344 and a 13-23 defeat.

There is little that could make for a silver lining but at the end of the day, we will gladly take 33% of the points available on the night given the way we bowled. Clearly, we can do so much better.

Next up, team OKMalta.com. An opportunity to find our bearings and form again. Let’s defeat the odds!

14/07/2026

Week 2: Royal Shock vs Powerfruit
Second week. Second strong opponent. This time that opponent is not only strong but hurt. Hurt with last week’s result and overall defeat.

Last week was kind to us. We bowled poorly and got a truly amazing result over a truly difficult opponent. This week we needed to pull our socks up.

To cut to the chase, we simply did not do enough. The stars aligned for us last week and this week they opted to bench themselves out.

That made Powerfruits’ mission a tad less of a challenge. It was more of an inconvenience at having to get the result on the lanes rather than just settle for the obvious.

In both games 1 and 2, we were in the race for a long time. Upto frame 8 one could say were marginally ahead. But at that point, the absence of sufficient degree of confidence and a return to the tendency to shoot ourselves in the foot meant that we donated the points to a very willing recipient. We lost both 8-2 with a 756-847 and a 716-768 pin fall.

At that point, we had faith that we could rally up and win the last game. Powerfruit were winning but they were not impressive or dominant. We were confident. This is our chance and we’ll take it.

That narrative did not last too long. By frame 4 it was as evident as anything that Powerfruit were going to power-roll all over us!! 8-2. 803-912 for a 2275-2527 total match pinfall and a 30-6 final result (0—8 in the old system). Well merited and deserved. They in fact were the second-best bowling for this week. Well done.

Thanks to last week’s result, we now find ourselves in mid-table. Below us are Supersonic, BOV and BOOM. It’s unlikely that BOOM will remain in the bottom half for long. This week they faced an unstoppable OKMalta which explains things.

With 6 of 8 teams having at least two bowlers bowling 600+ this week, it is going to be a tough season for us. We were one of only two teams not to feature a single bowler over the 600 mark. Again, this week, we bowled the second lowest series. Both statistics are a cause for concern. But they also represent a window of opportunity. We know we can do better. We also know that in both these weeks, we struggled to find our lines and consistency. But in both outings, there were instances of good performance. So we know that it is there. We just need to get in tune as soon as possible and definitely by next week. A must win match.

We need to pull our socks up. A bit of effort and focus and we will get there.

Forza Royal Shock.

07/07/2026

2026 Summer Premier League
Week 1: Royal Shock vs BOOM KVH

The last two seasons have seen the introduction of new systems that aim to improve league competition while simultaneously keeping in being with the principle that the best bowling team should win. First, we saw the introduction of a bolstered handicap system. Then last season we saw a radical transformation of the points system. Both introductions had a significant positive impact on interest and competition. But as our analysis showed, neither of the two (individually and collectively) sufficiently ‘bridged the gap’.

Further tinkering was necessary and the MBA have not shied away from that. As a result, this season will see the introduction of a minor tweak in the points system. Listening to the criticism that the new points mechanism is excessively skewed towards individual rather than team performance, 6 points (instead of the original 2) will now be awarded for the total match pinfall.

Our modelling showed that this mechanism would in theory increase the points gap between top and bottom. But other factors come into play. Not just the handicap system and the oil pattern but the strength of the newly promoted team and the many stops and starts to the league may have a say in all this. We will wait and see.

Off to the lanes!!

After weeks of chill and relax; analysis and discussions, training and team building, we’re again in action. We don our kit, polish our bowling balls and oil our joints. All set to go. Training minutes are a blessing. The rust can be shed with these initial throws. Lanes tested. Ball and pin action considered and weighed in. But most importantly, we had a solid game plan agreed to and ready to be launched. We face last season’s runners up so this will definitely not be a walk in the park. But we are all set.

Well, at least that is what we thought. BOOM start off with a bang! Strange. Why not start off with a boom? Why prefer a bang? God only knows. But that’s the way it goes. They also act with stealth and intelligence.

That smart move got us in the midriff and we lost our breath! Faltering, we struggled to find form. Some moments showed promise but that promise was short-lived. 816-724 and things are going as the pools would have predicted.

Now I wonder, is that part of the plan? Well. If you look at our track record over the seasons, we have on several occasions laid this trap on our more quoted opponents. Will it be the case here?

Well, well, well. What’s going on here?! The fans were rubbing their eyes. They were questioning the visuals of the screens. Was this a joke? Someone trying to play a trick on them? Should not the frame-by-frame results assigned to BOOM be configured to be for Royal Shock. Should the team names be switched??!

No. No. and NO!!! This was the reality. Game 2 saw an inversion in form and bowling class. Team Royal Shock was rocking while team BOOM was digging! WOW what a turn of events. And as the dust settled, team Royal Shock had won all points from this game. Fantastic. 809-680 and the tables had turned.

Game 3 was now open for the highest bidder. A win on either side would give a hefty reward. Coughing up the dust as BOOM brushed themselves clean. Team Royal Shock took to the lanes with measured optimism. If we can keep our wits, we can actually spring a surprise and give ourselves and our chances of survival a huge and unexpected boost.

Bowler after bowler. Throw after throw. Frame after frame and the two teams remain practically within touching distance. Team Royal Shock was always ahead but firing on three pistons rather than four meant that team BOOM had a wide-open door to walk into and sn**ch the points. They did not. They could not. It seemed that the sense of bewilderment and frustration was taking control of their bowling and that proved to be their downfall.

It was down to the last bowler but a split which led to an open from team BOOM meant that Royal Shock had the points in hand before the final whistle. 765 – 729 for a total match pin fall of 2298-2225 meant the Royal Shock won the match handsomely with a 26-10 points bag.

That result places is us joint top place! A rare occasion to be celebrated!!! CHEERS.

But we know the truth. We found a team BOOM that bowled the lowest series of the night. We did not excel but we understood the opportunity and did what was needed to be done to exploit and maximise it. With a 633-pin fall, Malcolm Pace Debono was our best bowler on the night. Well done.

Next week will be another day another reality. We will face a wounded Powerfruit so we can be sure they will not be generous with us. As always, we decide our fate.

But for now, we will bask in the warmth a sunshine that blesses joint first place. Cheers and forza Royal Shock.

14/06/2026

Part 3 of 3: What was the impact of the new handicap system? This is our take. What do you think?

12/06/2026

In Part 2 we explpore if other factors influence the league standings. We also explore how a tweaked points system giving more points to team perofrmannce would impact the league table.

12/06/2026

Part 2 (of 3): In this set we examine two elements. Were there other factors at play apart from the points system? If the points system is tweaked to give greater emphasis to team performance, how would that have impacted the season league table?

In Part 3 we will share our overall opinion.