Bowlers from Čakovec's Željezničar defeated leading team Ban Jelačić from Zaprešić 5:3 in the fifth-round derby of the 1st Croatian Bowling League on Saturday. With that victory, Željezničar equalised on points with the leaders, knocking down a total of 80 more pins than their opponents, 3,589:3,509.
Home coach Nikola Turk started with a new first block. Josip Filajdić led with 658 pins, was consistent in all sets, ranging from 158 to 176 pins, with 265 pins cleared. Franjo Gosarić knocked down 571 pins, Predrag Turk 592, Borna Murić 271, while his opponent started with 345. Bojan Košak knocked down 295. Before the final block, the score was 2:2, with a 65-pin lead for Željezničar. Denis Košak knocked down 628 pins and added another 59, while Goran Vrček knocked down 574 pins.
After five rounds played, Željezničar holds third place in the league table with eight points, the same as Ban Jelačić from Zaprešić and Grmoščica from Zagreb. All three clubs have achieved four wins and one loss. Ban Jelačić is leading with a points ratio of 30:10, while Grmoščica and Željezničar have an equal ratio of 26:14. In fourth place is Željezničar from Osijek with six points, and Novska has the same amount. Zanatlija from Slavonski Brod has five points, while Nova Gradiška is at the bottom of the table with one point. On Saturday, Željezničar plays away at new first-league side Nova Gradiška.
The first Međimurje derby was played in the 3rd Croatian Bowling League. Željezničar 2 were better than Dubravčan from Donja Dubrava 5:3, while in individual matches it was 3:3. Željezničar 2 took a 2:0 lead thanks to Borna Murić (567) and Božidar Igrec (533). The first point for Dubravčan was brought by Željko Igrec (557). The third point for Željezničar 2 was brought by Tomo Kelvišar (551), while Tomislav Hrašćanec (547) and Ivan Harandi (572) levelled it at 3:3. Zanatlija played away in Varaždin and with a 5:3 victory against Obrtnik 2011, they took the top of the table, achieving a win with 151 pins plus. Points for Zanatlija were scored by Damir Grašić (571), Bojan Plevnjak (567) and Jurica Petković (544). This week, the Međimurje third-league derby is played, in which Zanatlija hosts Željezničar 2, Dubravčan plays away at Križevci's Elektro, and Prosvjetar hosts Varaždin's Obrtnik 2011.
During the past week, the individual Međimurje championship was held, in which the best Međimurje bowlers competed. Denis Košak again won the title of individual Međimurje champion with a total of 1,278 pins knocked down. On the first day, he knocked down 666 pins, and on the second day 612. Josip Filajdić had the first result of the second day (636) and won silver with a total of 1,251 pins. Bronze went to veteran Predrag Turk, who had two equal results (615+602), total 1,217. Franjo Gosarić (1,209) and Borna Murić (1,186) also qualified for the North Region championship. All five are members of Željezničar. Bojan Plevnjak (1,171) from Zanatlija is the sixth reserve candidate for the Region championship.
