Markers
Markers are required for all Club singles matches - a list is displayed in our Club House.
If you have any queries concerning marking for competitions, please contact one of our Competition Secretaries - Brenda Withycombe or Andrew Downes.
Duties of a Marker
To carry out duties as Marker in accordance with the Law No. 42 of the Laws of the Sport of Bowls, the following points must be observed:
Before taking up position at the head of the rink the Marker should:-
1. Remind the players that he/she will say nothing unless asked. The Marker will also ask the players for permission to remove 'dead' woods from the ditch or over the rink strings (Law 42.2.11).
On arrival at the head of the rink he/she will: -
2. Ensure that the bank behind him/her is clear of all objects (bags, mats etc.) which could be used as 'sighting' lines.
3. Centre the mat BEFORE the jack is cast.
4. Check the jack is within the limits of the 23-metre line and the maximum length and centre it.
5. Take up his/her position as far as practicable behind the jack and to one side of it. This position should always be at least a yard behind the furthest wood. In selecting this position the Marker must ensure that he/she does not obscure the rink edge marker and try to avoid obscuring the view of the head by any spectators by alternating the side on which he/she stands.
6. The Marker must not move whilst the players are bowling nor move into the head except to better observe whether a wood is about to be a 'toucher' and to mark it if necessary or to accurately answer a query from one of the players.
7. Answer only the question asked by the player although you may give some extra information if it is obvious that your first answer will lead to an additional question but do NOT indicate which wood is shot unless requested to do so.
8. Once the bowl comes to rest the rink belongs to the other player. A player must, therefore, wait his/her next turn on the mat to ask queries of the Marker. If a player breaks this rule, reply 'Player on the Mat'.
9. 'Touchers' should be marked as soon as the bowl comes to rest but the Marker should check if the second player is on the mat and ready to bowl. If so, wait until he/she has delivered the bowl before marking the 'toucher' but it must be marked before the second player's bowl comes to rest. If chalking a 'toucher ' would make it fall over, the Marker should call down to the players that the wood is a 'nominated toucher' to be marked later when the danger of falling has passed.
10. On completion of the head the Marker has no authority to disturb any of the woods before the players have agreed the number of shots. The players are entirely free to measure their own bowls, but the Marker can do so if requested by them but must NOT remove any of the woods in contention for 'shot' as the players have the option to re-measure themselves or call for an umpire.
11. If no umpire has been appointed the Marker can select one but once an umpire has been called for, the players and Marker must leave the head and the umpire's decision is final.
12. If the last bowl arriving into the head comes to rest at an angle that it may fall into or out of the head, or other bowls may also fall in or out of the head, the Marker can anticipate the '30 second rule' being asked for and start timing the 30 seconds allowed by Law 23.
13. The Marker must always keep the score board up to date and not change it every second end. Players must be able to see the up to date score at any time. The score difference could decide the type of shot to be used and the delay to the game is negligible.
14. At the end of the game the Marker must ensure that the losing player signs the card.