- Annual Competitions
The following competitions shall be promoted annually by the League Council:
- League Inter-Club Competition.
- Singles Competition.
- Novice Singles Competition.
- Over 60’s Singles Competition.
- Pairs Competition.
- Triples Competition.
- Brookhouse Cup Competition.
- Mixed pairs competition
- Aussie Pairs Competition
Together with any further competitions that may be deemed necessary by the League Council
- Registration of Players
a Each club shall keep a register of bowlers for each team that is entered in the league
b Any player may be used as a substitute in another team from the same club when a team is depleted
due to illness, holiday, injury etc at any time during the season irrespective of how many times they
have played for their registered team.
The maximum number of substitutions allowed per team on any one occasion is three.
- League Inter-Club Competition
a Each triples team shall consist of 3 rinks of 3 players each.
b The game shall be played over 18 ends.
c Points shall be awarded as follows:
One point for the winning team on each rink. Two additional points for the side with the higher aggregate. In the event of a tie on any rink, or on aggregate, the point(s) appertaining to that tie shall be equally divided.
d The League Championship shall be awarded to the team with the highest points score at the end of
the season. In the event of a tie, the winner shall be the team having the best average of shots,
for and against.
e In the event of more than ten teams wishing to enter the Inter-Club Competition the teams shall be
placed into two or more divisions with as near as possible an equal number of teams in each division
and no division containing more than 10 teams. Should an unequal number of teams wish to enter
the League, the lower division(s) shall include the extra team. The teams in each division to play
each other on a home and away basis.
The League shall be run on a divisional basis with two teams promoted and two teams relegated
annually, unless there is an imbalance due to teams dropping out or new teams entering the league.
When the league is depleted, 3 teams may be relegated from the higher divisions and when the
league expands only 1 team may be relegated from the higher divisions but at all times two teams
shall be promoted.
f Games shall be played on the Wednesday stipulated in the fixture list approved by the League
Council at the commencement of the season.
g Fixtures may be postponed other than for adverse weather conditions, greens being unplayable
or unavailable due to National or County Matches and Club Bowls Tours (which should be notified
to the League Secretary by 1st Jan in the relevant season). Fixtures may not be postponed due
to shortage of players. In any event the League Secretary must be informed within 3 days of
any change. Should an away team cancel a match on the day it is to be played, they must
recompense the home team for food purchased upon receipt of the necessary invoices.
If a match or rink(s) needs to be abandoned due to weather conditions or any other circumstances, then providing 9 ends have been played by each triple, the result shall be as at the time of abandonment. If less than 9 ends have been played, then the match shall be replayed. In the case of a rink having to be abandoned due to medical reasons when less than 5 ends have been played, then a reserve may be used to complete the match.
In the event of the fore-going situation of less than 9 ends having been played, arising at the end of the season, the teams may mutually agree to share the points providing no relegation, promotion or championship issues are involved for the clubs (not teams) involved. The League Council reserves the right to order a match to be replayed if they consider such issues are involved.
Postponed or abandoned games under this rule must be played before the last League fixture of the season, except the last two games, which must be played within 14 days of the last planned fixture. The home team must offer three dates for the games to be played under this rule and notify the League Secretary of the date the game is to be played. Failure to play a match before the abovementioned period, the non-defaulting team will receive five points as consolation for the loss of the match. When two teams from the same club are involved, the match must be replayed.
h All fixtures shall commence at 6.30 p.m. from June to the end of July. For the whole of May and from
the 1st of August the start time will be 6.15pm. There should be no trial ends and one shot only to
count on the first two ends. Should the light be acceptable to both captains, or floodlights being
available, trial ends may be played rather than the one-shot rule. When trial ends are not played, the
team who has the mat shall cast the jack on the 1st and 3rd ends irrespective of which team wins the
first two ends.
i A maximum of 15 minutes waiting time will be allowed for the late arrival of a team or player.
After this time the match may be played in accordance with rule 3j.
j In the event that a team arrives with 1 or more players short, the depleted rink shall not play and 2 points shall be awarded to the opponents. The remaining triples shall play for one point each plus an additional point for the highest aggregate score. The defaulting team if away shall recompense the home team for food if requested. In the event that a team knows in advance that cannot field 9 players on a match night and can give their opponents a minimum of 24 hours’ notice they may play with 2 rinks only and forfeit 2 points and play with 6 players as above. This concession may only be used twice in any one season.
k Result cards showing the names of all players and final scores
to be forwarded to the Fixtures and Results Secretary by the home team, by electronic means within 36 hours of completion of the match.
Results will be accepted using the electronic score card, a scan/photocopy of the scorecard, by E Mail or a photograph of the scorecard sent by E Mail or mobile phone. Home teams who wish to continue submitting results by post must phone through the result ie shots and points to the League Secretary within 36 hours. Discrepancies, if any, will be adjusted when the scorecard arrives.
Results/League tables will then usually be issued by noon on the Friday following the matches.
l The League Championship Trophy, Divisional Winners Trophies, and competition winners’ trophies
shall be presented during the ‘League Winners v The Competition Winners match, at the League
Presidents Club, at a date to be advised at the start of the season. This match is usually two weeks
after the last matches have been played to allow enough time for trophy engraving.
The league champions shall provide 2 rinks and the divisional winners 1 rink each.
m Bowls England rules apply to all eventualities not specifically mentioned in the Whitchurch and
District Competition Rules.
n Clubs must display each division’s players in a public area to allow the visiting team to check the home team players.
4.Singles Pairs and Triples Competitions
- Each player competing must be a member of a club that is a member of the Whitchurch and District
League and must enter from the club he or she are representing in the League. Each club when entering competitors must provide all names to competition secretary and not ANO. In addition, participation in Novice Singles Competition shall be restricted to bowlers with less than 3 years’ experience in any bowls match format including indoors and crown green and who have not previously won this competition.
- The entrance fee shall be decided by the League Council.
- Singles – Each game shall be played to Bowls England rules, each player delivering four bowls.
Pairs – Each game shall consist of 21 ends, each player delivering four bowls.
Aussie Pairs- Each game shall consist of 18 ends, each player delivering four bowls
Triples – Each game shall consist of 18 ends, each player delivering three bowls.
In the event of a draw, an extra end shall be played.
- The draw for the competitions shall be made by the League Council or their representatives. All
games must be completed within the time allotted by the League Council and the result forwarded to
the Competition Secretary not later than 6.00 p.m. on the day following the closing date of the round
otherwise, both teams may be disqualified, this will be adhered to strictly.
- The first named player/s in each tie shall be the challenger and be responsible for all match
arrangements. The challenger must offer his opponent at least three dates including one weekend
day, not all in the same week or on Wednesday League nights within 5 days of the publication of the round. If no challenge has been made from either Challengers within 10 days, both will be eliminated from competition. The opponent must accept one of the dates offered within three days or concede the tie. The time for commencing a tie shall be mutually agreed but no player/s shall be compelled to accept a time earlier than 6.00 p.m. on Mondays to
Fridays or 10.00 a.m. on Saturdays or Sundays, nor after 6.30 p.m. on any day.
Afternoon matches are allowed by mutual consent.
In the event of the opponent not receiving a challenge within 5 days of the publication of the round,
he/she will assume the role of the challenger and offer the opponent three dates, including one
weekend day but not a Wednesday League night, if no challenge has been made from either Challengers within 10 days, both will be eliminated from competition. The opponent then must accept one of the three dates offered or concede the tie. No alteration of an accepted date shall be made unless mutually agreed upon. Failing such an agreement, the player desiring such alteration must play on the accepted date or give his opponent a ‘walk over’.
The start date for the competition is the last Wednesday in April so all challenges for preliminary/first round ties made before the start of the competition must be within 5 days of that date.
- No time extension shall be granted under any conditions. This will be adhered to strictly by the competition secretary. If a match has been extended, the competition secretary will disqualify offending competitors and award a W/O to the next round opponents.
- Semi-Final rounds shall be played on a green, mutually agreed upon by the players concerned. Once agreed the challenger should approach the host club for availability. A charge is allowable by the host club capped at £2.00 per player.
When a Finals day has been arranged, it will be held at the Whitchurch Presidents club if available. If no Finals Day arrangements the Finals will be played on neutral venue with agreement by the finalists.
- Substitutes are allowed in pairs and triples competitions after the first round providing, they have not previously played or been part of any team in the competition. They may play in any position, however if a substitution is made after a match has commenced, due to illness, then the substitute may not play as skip.
- All competitors must be available for Finals Day if arranged, if they are not, they must not enter competitions or if during the competitions, competitors become aware of not being available they must withdraw immediately.
- The Competition Secretary has the deciding say in all disputes and this will be adhered to by all competitors.
5. Brookhouse Cup Competition
- Two nominated players from each affiliated club shall take part. Where possible the
representative should be the current Club Men’s and/or Ladies Singles Champion or both.
- The competition shall be played as a knock-out singles competition throughout the normal playing
season, each round being played as one game of 21 shots.
6 . League Representative Games
These games shall be open to all members of the Whitchurch and District League. The League Match Secretary shall advise all clubs at the beginning of the season, with dates when each club will be expected to provide a rink.
Dated 05/11/2021