Inter-Club League Rules
(revised July 2025)
1. The Competition shall be open to all clubs affiliated to the Hampshire
Indoor Bowls Association, based on one team per club.
2. An entry fee, to be determined by the Executive on a year-by-year basis,
shall be paid by each club entering.
3. The competition shall be played on a league basis with the clubs playing
each other once. The Bramley Bowl will be presented to the winners of the
League and the Trisham Trophy to the runners up.
4. A team shall consist of four (4) fours, with all players being bona fide
members of the club which they represent. No player may play for more
than one club in anyone season. Any player who is a member of more than
one club can only play in the League and enter County Competitions from
one and the same club. A player moving from one club to another during a
season may not play for their new club if they have already played in any
Inter-Club League games in that season.
5. No team may include more than four (4) players who have played for a
County in the Liberty Trophy in the current or previous season.
6. Matches shall be played with two (2) Fours at home and two (2) Fours
away.
7. The game shall be of 18 ends and shall be played in accordance with the
Laws of the Sport of Bowl as published by the World Bowls and World Indoor
Bowls Council together with any variations set out by the English Indoor
Bowls Association Ltd.
8. All games shall be played to a time limit of three and a half (3.5) hours. An
end started before the time limit is up may be finished, but if it is killed after
the time limit is up the end may not be replayed.
9. Two (2) points shall be awarded to the team scoring the higher number of
shots at the venue at which the match is played, or one (1) point each in
the event of a tie-on aggregate score. In addition, one point shall be
awarded to the team winning on each rink. 1/2 point each if rink score tied. A
further two (2) points shall be awarded to the team scoring the higher
number of shots when the results of the home and away matches are
combined. In the event of a tie, one (1) point will be awarded to each team.
10. The winner of the Bramley Bowl shall be the team with the highest
number of points at the end of the season. In the event of a tie-on points,
the winner shall be the team with the higher shot difference, or the team
with the higher number of shots if this matter is still not resolved.
11. All matches shall be played on a Saturday, the dates being set by the
Competition Secretary and ratified by the Executive Committee. The starting
time shall be 10:00am unless mutually agreed otherwise by the opposing
Clubs, but NOT LATER THAN 10.15am. (Trial ends to start 9.45am). Players
are permitted to wear club colours or whites and club shirt in accordance
with E. I. B.A. regulations: however, a team must play in whites or colour -
no mixture is allowed. A penalty of 10.00 shall be payable by the club if
any player/players are in breach of this Rule. (Note: a white rink jacket or
sweater does not breach this rule when worn over a coloured shirt.)
12.1 Matches will not normally be postponed other than for inclement
weather. The criterion for such postponement being a recommendation, on
local television and/or radio, that motorists should not take to the roads
unless their journey is essential.
12.2 A match may be postponed by mutual consent.
12.3 If a match is cancelled by one team. Then the penalties shall be:
(a) The offending team is to forfeit the match points and 8 shots per rink,
i.e. 10 points plus 32 shots awarded to the non-offending team:
(b) A further 8 points are to be deducted from the points score of the
offending team.
(c) The offending team is to reimburse the non-offending team in the sum of
£32 for loss of revenue for two rinks not used, based on 8 players at £2
each for each two-hour period.
12.4 If a match clashes with a National 16 player, 4 Rinks match, or London
and Southern Counties 16 player, 4 Rinks match, it is expected to be played
with reserve players. However, if it is cancelled due to these circumstances
the penalties (b) and (c) will not be applied.
13. A result card copy or typed score shall be e-mailed to the Competition
Secretary by each club within 24 hours of completion of a match. The card
must be signed by a representative of the club. The original score cards for
the game must be retained by the club until the end of the season and must
be made available to the Competition Secretary upon request.
14. Member clubs are responsible for ensuring that all players representing
their club have club stickers affixed to their bowls, a penalty of £10.00 shall
be payable by the club if any player/players are in breach of this Rule. (In
the event of a colour clash, the visiting players shall remove their stickers.)