STOWMARKET & DISTRICT BOWLS LEAGUE

RULES

1. The League shall be called the Stowmarket & District Bowls League - hereafter referred to as the League.  The League shall be managed by an Executive Committee - comprising a President, President Elect, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Match Secretary, Competition Secretary, Captain and Five representatives from affiliated clubs.  Six members will constitute a quorum. Past Presidents will become members of a Past Presidents’ Association which will elect a representative to serve on the Executive Committee.

2.  The Treasurer will be responsible for preparing Annual Accounts to present at the Annual General Meeting.  An Auditor will be appointed at the A.G.M. each year.

3.  The League shall be open to all Bowling Clubs within an approximate radius of 12 miles of Stowmarket.  The Hon. Secretary will invite representatives from all affiliated clubs to the Annual General Meeting, but only two delegates from each club and Executive Committee members may vote.

4.  All matches will be played under Suffolk County Bowls Association rules, excepting where they are in conflict with these rules, when these rules will apply.  Male players must be affiliated to the S.C.B.A. and female players must be affiliated to the S.C.W.B.A. and also pay their S.C.B.A. Registration fees.

5.  All members playing in league competitions must be separately registered for each league with the Match Secretary a minimum of one day before playing.  When a Club has more than one team in a League, a separate registration sheet must be submitted for each team. Whichever team is in the highest division will be deemed the Senior Team and in a lower division, the Junior Team(s).  A Junior team member may switch to the Senior Team but after playing 3 matches in the Senior Team he/she cannot revert to a Junior Team.  A Senior team member, who has played less than 3 games in that team, can be switched to a junior team.  “Switched” players must be registered before playing for their new team.  If teams are in the same division, no switching of players will be permitted.  If these rules are breached, the penalty will be the same as for an unregistered player.  Each club must display in their clubhouse a complete list of registered players.  Visiting Captains shall produce on demand, a duplicate copy of the list of their players.

6.  Any Club having more than one team in a division shall play each other in the first game of each half of the league season.

7.  Any club playing an unregistered player shall forfeit two league points and be fined £5.  The match may be replayed at the discretion of the Executive and the unregistered player will be barred from playing in the replay.

8. In all matches played under league rules, club coloured shirts will be allowed, but if not wearing club shirts, white tops will be worn along with greys, i.e. as per the Standard County Dress rules.

9.  All matches to be played in rinks and to be numbered and drawn for.  Matches will commence at 6.45pm, with the exception of matches played in April and August which will commence at 6.30pm.  A late player may join his set at any stage of the match.  Matches are to be played in accordance with the fixture list, unless otherwise mutually rearranged seven days previously by the clubs concerned and notified in writing to the Match Secretary.

10. ILLNESS

If a player has to leave the green during a game through illness and is unable to return, he/she may be replaced by a substitute, at the discretion of both captains providing that the substitute is correctly dressed and a registered player for the team concerned.

11. During match play, the lead and second players of both sets will remain at the bowling end until all their bowls are delivered.  Skips are permitted to visit the head once only, during each end of play, (staying at the head constitutes a visit).

12.  In the event of a green being considered to become unplayable, the decision to abandon is the responsibility of the two captains.  In the case of dispute, the groundsman will decide.  Any unfinished fixture in which 15 ends have been completed on all rinks (12 ends for 3 wood triples) will be regarded as a completed match and the result will be based on the completed ends played.  If 15 ends (12 ends for 3 wood triples) have not been played on all rinks then the match will be regarded as a postponed fixture.

13. POSTPONED FIXTURES

A)  All league fixtures must be played on the set date.  Any club postponing a fixture for reasons other than an unfit green will be subject to a deduction of 4 points.  Exceptional circumstances will be considered by the Match Secretary and if necessary be referred to the Executive Committee, whose decision will be final.

B)  The Match Secretary must be notified within 24 hours of any matches not played on the set date, and be given the date of the re-arranged fixture within 10 days of the fixture being called off. Failure to do so may result in the Match Secretary setting a date for the match.
C)  Fixtures scheduled for Bank Holidays may be re-arranged without penalty, with prior consent of the Match Secretary and agreement of their opponents.  Any Bank Holiday re-arranged fixtures must be played prior to or within one month after the scheduled date.
D)  All re-arranged fixtures must be played as soon as possible but no later than the last fixture date of that league.
E)  If a team fails to fulfil a fixture by the end of the season the Executive Committee will determine any penalty relating to the unfinished fixture.

14.  LEAGUES & COMPETITIONS
A)   Monday 2 Wood Leagues
Each club shall play home and away matches against all teams in their division.  The total shots scored on all rinks shall determine the winners who will be awarded three points or one and a half points in the case of a draw, plus a further one point for each winning rink, or half a point if the rink is drawn. In the event of teams tying on points on completion of all fixtures, the winners will be the team with the highest aggregate shots scored. Should teams be level on shots as well as points, they will play-off to decide the winners.

All matches will be played in four rinks of three players each side, 21 live ends up.  In the case of greens only having 3 rinks, matches are to played in three rinks of four players each side with four points being awarded for overall shots winner and one point for each rink.

B)  Triples Leagues
The competitions will be operated on a two league basis with one league on a Wednesday and the other on a Thursday. All matches will be played as 3 wood triples of 18 ends.  When a club has a 3 rink green then 2 rinks will be played at home and 2 rinks away for each home fixture. Three points will be awarded to the team scoring most shots plus one point for each winning rink.  In the event of tied rinks or a drawn game the points will be shared equally.

C)  Tuesday Afternoon Leagues
All matches are to be played in teams of 6 players who must be registered members of the affiliated club. A team will consist of 2 rinks of 3 players.  Matches will be played as 3 wood triples over 18 live ends. All matches will commence at 2pm. Points will be awarded as follows:  2 points for a winning rink, one point each for a drawn rink.  Three points for overall team win. One and a half points for a drawn game.
The league will be divided into 3 divisions of not less that seven and not more than 10 teams. Promotion and relegation in accordance with league rules will apply.

D)  Triples Knock Out Cup
The competition will be played as 3 wood triples over 18 ends with each team being represented by 4 rinks of 3 players. There is no restriction on the number of teams a club may enter in the competition.  However, all players must be registered with the league through that club and can only play for one team in the competition.
Each round will be drawn at the commencement of the competition and each round will be given a deadline date by which all matches must be played.  Dates will be arranged as per rule 4, by the clubs concerned.  The semi-finals will take place on neutral greens and the final will be held on the Leagues’ Finals Day.
Teams playing ineligible players will automatically be excluded from the competition.

E)  League Competitions
The following competitions will be arranged each season by the Competition Secretary and be open to members of affiliated clubs who are registered with the League.

MEN
2-wood singles
2-wood pairs.

LADIES
2-wood singles
2-wood pairs.

MIXED
2-wood pairs.

UNRESTRICTED
Open 2-wood triples
Open over 60’s 3-wood triples
Open under 25’s 2-wood singles

F)  Victor Ludorum
The Victor Ludorum trophy will be awarded to the club achieving the greatest success in all leagues and competitions, decided on a point’s basis.

G)  Thurlow Shield
This is a Charity Bowls Tournament played each year with all proceeds being donated to the Suffolk County Bowls Association Benevolent Fund.  Entry is open to members of affiliated clubs.

15.  All clubs must complete all their home and away matches in league competitions.  In the event of a team withdrawing from a league having played at least one match, points scored against that team will be deducted from the other teams involved.  Any remaining fixtures against the defecting team are to be byes.  All league fixtures are to be fulfilled.  Any club deemed to be at fault for not fulfilling their fixture list will be fined £5 for each unplayed game.

16.  The home club will be responsible for the match result being sent to the Match Secretary within 3 days of the match being played.  Clubs not complying are liable to be fined £5 - postmark will decide date of posting.

17.  Cups shall be held by the winning clubs for a period of 12 months and will be presented at the League’s Annual Dinner and Prize Giving.  The clubs will be deemed responsible for their safe custody and for their return in good condition within two weeks of the end of the next season.  The cups are the property of the League for as long as they are required for annual competition.  Trophy winners will be expected to attend the Annual Prize Giving Function in order to collect their prizes.

18.  An affiliation fee will be payable for each team and will be due before 31st of March each year.  The amount of the fee will be announced at the  A.G.M.

19.  The Executive Committee of the League will meet and arrange fixtures and will deal with any infringement of these rules.  They will have the power to order replays and also to deal with all matters not covered by these rules.

20.  Any club wishing to appeal must do so in writing to the Hon. Secretary no later than 3 days after the match has been played and enclosing £5 which will be returned if their appeal is upheld.

21.  The constitution of the League shall be decided at each A.G.M., and the sub-division of the League shall be such that no more than ten teams comprise any one division.  Promotion and relegation will normally be on the basis of two up and two down except when it is necessary to adjust the number of teams in a division - when the following will apply:

a)  To increase the number of teams - one team relegated and two teams promoted from the lower division.
b)  To reduce the number of teams - two teams relegated and one team promoted from the lower division.

22.  The rules of the League shall only be altered or added to at the A.G.M.  Any proposed alterations should reach the Hon. Secretary 21 days prior to the A.G.M.

* * * * * * * * * *