Turton & District Bowling Association

ASSOCIATION RULES

  1. That this Association be called “TURTON & DISTRICT BOWLING ASSOCIATION”
  2. The objects of the association are:
    1. To improve and encourage amateur bowling.
    2. To organise and regulate all competitions.
  3. The Laws of the Game of Crown Green Bowls as printed by 'BRITISH CROWN GREEN BOWLING ASSOCIATION' apply to games played under the auspices of the Turton & District Bowling Association and a copy of these laws must be available at each club.
  4. Applications for League Membership must be in the General Secretary's hands not later than the last day of January each year.
  5. Each team shall pay an annual fee to the Turton League, the level of which shall be decided each year by the AGM. This will include the issue of 15 handbooks. Additional handbooks may be purchased at a cost of 50p each; no other charges other than fines will apply.
  6. The League & its competitions shall be governed by an Executive Committee consisting of the officers, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary together with two representatives from each team.
  7. That a committee be appointed by the bowlers of each green, which shall be responsible for the conduct of the matches on their green.
  8. Each committee shall elect a secretary, who shall be one of the representatives from that green on the executive committee.
  9. At all Executive Committee meetings each Team Representative present shall have ONE vote, i.e. TWO votes maximum per team. Decisions taken at Executive and General Meetings to be decided by a simple voting majority.
  10. The Executive Committee has the power to call an Extraordinary General Meeting at any time should they consider it necessary.
  11. An inquiry in any suspected breach of the rules by any member may be instituted by the committee at their absolute discretion, or at the request of any club who may lodge a complaint.
  12. Any team not represented at an Executive Committee meeting will be fined £10.00.
  13. Any club making a complaint must lodge a fee of £1.00 with the Secretary of the Turton & District Bowling Association, such fee to be returned if the protest is considered satisfactory.
  14. Any club or registered player desiring to submit any resolution to the Annual General Meeting should supply the General Secretary with the terms and resolutions in writing no later than FOURTEEN days prior to the General Meeting. Both proposer and seconder must be in attendance at the AGM.
  15. Each Team shall provide at the AGM Presentation a raffle prize(s), the sole purpose of these prizes are the generation of league funds at selected events throughout the year. Where appropriate, these prizes will be allocated for raffle at the associations 4 'Open' individual competitions and the AGM Presentation.
  16. The Executive Committee has the power to settle any matter not provided for in the foregoing rules.

MATCH RULES

  1. Each team shall consist of eight players and shall play home and away games.
  2. Each team must register 8 players at least 24 hours prior to the first scheduled game of the season. A player, subject to his registration with the league, and then plays his first game for a team is qualified as that team's player for the rest of the season irrespective of any other team having also registered him. No new registrations will be accepted after 31st May. To avoid misunderstanding, registration of any additional players must be made in writing to the Secretary. Fine for playing a non-registered player is £1.00. All players must have a BCGBA membership number and card.
  3. All matches to be played with standard jacks as defined under the BCGBA laws. Any team may take standard jacks to any match should they desire, if the home team cannot supply them.
  4. Matches to start at 7:00pm with the exception of April, August and September when the starting time shall be 6:30pm, or earlier. Practice time before a league game.. Depending on the start time practice time will be: 6-30pm start. Home team 6-00 pm until 6-10pm, Away team 6-15 pm until 6-25 pm. 7-00 pm start. Home team 6-30 pm until 6-40 pm and, Away team 6-45 pm until 6-50 pm.
  5. Any team who have a clash of fixture with another league may bring their fixture forward, but must not arrange to play their fixture after the proper fixture date. Any fixture that has to be re-arranged owing to inclement weather conditions may play on a night other than Monday to suit both teams.
  6. Private woods may be used as often as desired providing they are available when the player is called for the match, but no player is allowed to wait for them.
  7. The local committee shall provide a tape measure sufficiently long to measure at least 19 metres. The committee shall also decide the number of games to be played at one time.
  8. For all games in the league, each club must have a responsible person in attendance 15 minutes before start of play, in possession of team sheet. Home clubs to provide match and scoring cards. The duty of marking games to be shared equally wherever practicable and the marker shall be off the green. Markers are not referees and any disputed ends must be resolved by the team captains.
  9. All players must report themselves on arrival to the captain and the person appointed as captain to the team shall be responsible and sign the score cards at the conclusion of each match.
  10. Games shall be 21 up. The order of play shall be a 'Random Draw', each team shall number their players 1 to 8 in the order they wish them to play and these shall be matched with the same numbered player of the opposing side. The commencement of play shall see the green occupied by a minimum of four games with the Home players forfeiting the jack for the opening end in all games. The minimum number of games shall be maintained at all times until no further games are able to commence. In the event of a player not being present when called a reserve may be played, however no player whose name has been removed from the list of players drawn shall be able to take part in that match. In the event of no player being available to maintain the minimum number of games in play, the non-offending player will be awarded the game 21-0.
  11. Fine for each absent player to be £1.00.
  12. The result of a match/points gained shall be as follows:- 2 points for a match aggregate Home win, 2 points for a match aggregate Away win, 1 point for a match aggregate Draw, plus 1 point for each individual win.
  13. The league championship shall be awarded to the team with the most MATCH POINTS. Prizes to be awarded shall be Winners £100, Runners-up £50.
  14. In case of two or more teams being equal on points qualifying for any trophy or prizes, they shall play off on a neutral green. Should there be a tie in the play-off of any team competition, the team with the most INDIVIDUAL WINNERS will be the competition winners, should teams have equal winners then each captain shall nominate three players to play 15 up. Should the scores still be level then the team with two winners will be declared the overall winners.
  15. All matches must be played on the date as per fixture list. If the weather or state of green prevents the playing or completion of the match on the date fixed, then the captains will agree a new date for the match to be played, this date to be within two weeks of the original date. If the match has started all completed games will stand, in partially completed games the points scored by each player shall count and the jack position marked. The resumption of the game will start as near as possible to this mark. If the players of the partially completed games are not available on the re-arranged date then that particular game can be arranged to suit both players. A fresh draw to be made for any games not started.
  16. The Home side captain or representative solely shall decide as to the fitness of the green for play. Games cannot be postponed for weather or green conditions until the normal time for start of the match unless both captains have agreed otherwise.
  17. The home team captain or appointed person is to put the result on the website within 2 days of playing the match. Any discrepancies to be notified to the fixtures secretary within 5 days of the result being put on the website.
  18. INDIVIDUAL LEAGUE MERIT PRIZES — To be decided on highest number of points, 2 points for Home win and 3 points for Away win. In the event of a Tie, the top three places shall be decided by best average. In the event of a player having no opponent it will not count as a missed match, the non-offending player shall be awarded the appropriate Home or Away points. Mens Merits. First £30, Second £20. Ladies Merits.First £ 30.

COMPETITION RULES

  1. Individual events held by the association shall be open to Turton League Association registered players only.
  2. The entry fee, closing date, scratch out time(s), playing format & handicaps for events shall be that as deemed by the executive (subject to specific event rules). In the event of a small number of entries, the organiser on the day shall be allowed to adjust the competition format to be of more interest to those taking part. Event Start and Strike out times shall be 1.00pm.
    Singles events—Games shall be 32 entries or more 21 up, more than 32 entries 15 up.
    Doubles events — Games shall be 11 up. All Home players shall give a handicap of +2 start, the current holders shall give an additional handicap of +1 start. No practice allowed, except in the case of a walk-over/bye. In the event of a competition having less than 8 entries, prizes will be restricted to Winners and Runners-up only.

    3. SINGLES

  3. AGM TROPHY — Free entry to those players who attended the last AGM and a token entry fee of £1 to those who did not attend this AGM. Any team not represented by a player will be fined £5.00.
  4. AINSWORTH CUP — Entrants must have played in at least two league or cup matches.
  5. FRED HASLAM TROPHY — Entrants must have played in at least two league or cup matches. Anyone playing for a team at Longsight shall be classed as a homester in this event unless it is NOT played at Longsight.
  6. GEORGE WOOD TROPHY Entrants shall be the TOP average player (or substitute) from each team plus selected representatives (officials & sponsors). Failure to provide a representative in this event will result in fine of £5 to the team.

    7. DOUBLES

  7. LEAGUE PAIRS — Entrants (Pairings) must be registered for the same team. Home players shall be minus two (-2) and shall forfeit the jack for the opening end in all games.

    8. TEAM - CUP

  8. MILBURN TROPHY — League KO event. The ties to be played at the end of the season. The handicap applied will be applied as to where the team finishes in last seasons league. The playing format will be 4 Home and 4 Away. The semi final and final to be played on the same day on a neutral green. The draw is as per the Milburn Cup through to the final. For a player to play in the Milburn Cup finals they must have played at least two league games. In the event of a new team there handicap will be applied by the league management.
  9. AINSWORTH SHIELD — League KO event for the bottom four teams of that year's league only. They shall play semi-finals match which shall be 4 Home and 4 Away, the winners of each semi-final shall play each other on a neutral green. The handicap for Milburn Cup will also be applied to the Ainsworth Shield. Games to be 21 up. Any team(s) being short of players shall forfeit each of those games to the score of 21-0 to their opponents. For a player to play in the Ainsworth Shield they must have played at least two league games.
  10. In the event of a tie in any matches of the team KO competitions (excluding final) then the whole game shall be replayed (including redraw). Should there be a tie in the final of any team competition the team with the most INDIVIDUAL WINNERS will be declared the winners, should teams have the same number of winners each then each captain shall nominate three players to play 15 up. The winners being the team with the best aggregate score over these three games, should the aggregate still be level then the team with two winners will be declared the winners.
  11. For rules not covered by the above, refer to the Association Match Rules and General Rules.