League Rules
1. League Programme
1.1 A list of Leagues for the current season will be displayed on the League Notice Board.
2. Admission to the Leagues
2.1 All playing members are eligible to join a League if a vacancy exists. Captains of complete teams shall apply using the League Registration form. Individuals wishing to join a team should approach a Team Captain or put their name down on a relevant list on the notice board.
2.2 An established team, in which at least 4 members in a Fours League, 3 in triples and 2 in pairs, are retained from the previous season, will automatically be accepted if a team member applies to join the same League before the list closes.
2.3 Any vacancies will be displayed on the League notice board and offered to new teams. If there are excessive applications, entry to the League will be on a first come, first served basis.
3. Registration of Players
3.1 Each Captain may register up to 8 team players for Fours and Triples Leagues and up to 6 for a Pairs League. All players must be registered before the game in which the named players are taking part. No player may bowl in more than one team in each league. Where a league has more than one division a player may only bowl for a team in one division. Members of a league team may not transfer to another team in that league once the playing season has commenced. The only exception is that captains may take on members of a team which has had to withdraw from the league.
4. Rules of Play
4.1 All League games shall be played in accordance with the EIBA Laws of the Sport of Bowls and the Club rulebook unless amended by these byelaws.
4.2 Schedules listing the date, time and rink number for each fixture will be issued to team captains before the start of the season and may only be altered within the terms of these byelaws.
4.3 Games will be time limited. To ensure effective and fair use of the time available:
(a) All games shall start promptly at the time scheduled.
(b) No trial ends or 'threes up' are permitted.
(c) No player may visit the head.
(d) Both skips shall leave the head at the same time and may not return except by mutual agreement after all bowls have been delivered to make an essential adjudication.
(e) If an illegal jack is cast the opposing skip shall place the jack on the 2-metre mark and the mat placed in a legal position at his option.
(f) A team creating a 'no-end' shall forfeit one (1) shot to their opponents for that end. The end shall count as played and the opponents shall have the choice of mat.
(g) If not completed within the time scheduled, the game shall finish at the completion of the end in progress when the buzzer sounds to indicate the close of the session. An end is deemed to be in progress when the jack is delivered.
5. Complete Teams
5.1 In a Fours League, if a team is only one player short, the game shall start on time with the Lead and the number 2 of the offending team delivering 3 bowls each and the skip 2 bowls. If the fourth player arrives and is ready to bowl before the jack of the 4th end is delivered, he/she may join the game in any position without penalty. Otherwise the offending team shall forfeit one quarter of its final score rounded up to the next whole number. The team with three players shall be responsible for the full green fee due for their team. If both teams play with one player short, they shall not play a triples game and shall each forfeit a quarter of their final scores. If a team does not have 3 players ready to bowl when the game is due to begin, the start shall be delayed by up to 15 minutes at the request of either skip. If still lacking 3 players at that time, the offending team shall concede the game unless both captains agree to re-schedule the fixture.
5.2 In a Triples League, if a team is only one player short, the game shall start on time and the team with only two players shall use eight woods, each player having four woods. If the third player arrives and is ready to bowl before the jack of the 2nd end is delivered, he/she may join the game in any position without penalty. Otherwise the offending team shall forfeit one quarter of its final score rounded up to the next whole number. The team with two players shall be responsible for the full green fee due for their team. The team winning the jack shall have choice of rolling the jack; however, the team with three players shall always play the first wood. This will ensure alternate bowls play over the whole game. If a team does not have 2 players ready to bowl when the game is due to begin, the start shall be delayed by up to 15 minutes at the request of either skip. If still lacking 2 players at that time, the offending team shall concede the game unless both captains agree to re-schedule the fixture.
6. Cancellation & Re-Arrangement of Games
6.1 Opportunities for re-scheduling games are limited and every effort should be made to anticipate difficulties so that any games that cannot be played on the due date may be re-scheduled to an earlier or later date by the League Secretary.
6.2 A Cancellation / Re-arrangement Application Form must be completed by the instigating team and handed in to the office without delay whenever a game will not be played on the scheduled date. The following procedures apply:
(a) Cancellation
Any team which fails to honour a fixture without an acceptable reason, will automatically concede the game. See clause 9.3 re penalty payment and 7.3 re walkover score.
(b) Re-Arrangement
(i) In the following circumstances, the League Secretary, acting on behalf of the Management Committee, may rule that a fixture be re-arranged if so requested by a team captain:
(a) Three or more members of one team attending a County / Club AGM, EGM, Annual Dinner or a Nationally Organised Bowls Holiday on the scheduled date.
(b) Three or more members are incapacitated by illness.
(c) Two or more members are playing in National Competitions on the scheduled date
(d) Severe weather conditions prevent travel.
(e) Two or more members are attending a funeral.
(ii) In circumstances other than the above, a game may still be re-arranged provided this is what both team captains wish to happen.
(iii) Re-arrangement of games will be under the control of the League Secretary. Captains may arrange the revised game between themselves but it must be played within 4 weeks of the originally scheduled date and, wherever possible, on the same rink as originally scheduled.
6.3 To accommodate a National Competition or other important event, at the discretion of the League Secretary, the League Secretary may amend the League programme accordingly.
7. Scoring Procedure
7.1 Both teams shall submit completed, signed scorecards (with all players’ names clearly stated) at the end of each game. Shots deducted because a team was incomplete shall be included. If one team was absent, its opponents may claim.
7.2 Two points will be awarded for a win and one point for a draw. In the event of a tie in total points gained, League positions will be decided by shot difference. If this is also equal, the team with the most “shots for” shall take the higher position.
7.3 A score of 5-0 will be entered against any team that concedes a game and to a team whose claim for a “walk-over” is approved.
7.4 Teams that cancel fixtures or arrive incomplete on more than 3 occasions during the season will be reported to the Management Committee who may order the deduction of additional points and may remove persistent offenders from the league.
8. Promotion and Relegation
8.1 At the end of the season, in those leagues with two or more divisions, the lowest two teams from the higher division shall be relegated to the lower division. Similarly, the highest two teams from the lower division will be promoted to the higher division. When a team does not re-enter the league for the following season, it shall be assumed for the purposes of promotion and relegation that the team had not participated.
8.2 Entry into the higher divisions will normally be via the lower division unless decided otherwise by the Management Committee.
9. Fees
9.1 League joining fees must be paid before the first game. All players must be fully paid-up members of the Club before playing in a league team.
9.2 Skips shall ensure that the correct rink fees are paid for their team before play begins.
9.3 A captain of a team that causes a scheduled game to be cancelled or which arrives short of players may be held responsible for any loss of rink fees that the Club incurs in accordance with the Club rules.
10. Disputes Procedure
10.1 In the event of a dispute arising from the interpretation or application of these byelaws, the matter should be brought to the attention of the League Secretary who will attempt to resolve the issue amicably. If this is not possible, all parties involved will be invited to submit written representations to the Club Management Committee, who will make a final ruling on the matter.
11. Trophies
11.1 Each player of the winning team of each league will receive a trophy. The number of trophies per team will be limited to the maximum registrations allowed for that league. To qualify for a trophy, any player must have played in at least 3 games in that team during that season.
Byelaws ratified by the Club Management Committee.