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| LAWS OF THE GAME - E. General Conditions of Play | ||
| Updated: 28 Oct 2006 11:29 |
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1.
Trial Ends |
1. | TRIAL ENDS | ||
| Trial ends shall be at the discretion of the controlling body. | ||||
| 2. | TOSSING FOR START | |||
| (a) | The captain in a team game shall toss. The winner has the option to play first or second on all rinks. | |||
| (b) | In games played on one rink mat, the lead shall toss and the winner shall have the option of playing first or second. | |||
| 3. | PLAYING FIRST | |||
| (a) | In all subsequent ends to the first, the winner of the preceding end shall play first. | |||
| (b) | In the event of a tied end (no score) or a dead end, the player who played first in that end shall again play first. | |||
| 4. | PLAYING FIRST | |||
| (a) | At the beginning of an end the player who is to play first shall take the delivery mat within the delivery lines with the shorter side in contact with the fender; | |||
| (b) | The delivery must not be moved until the end is complete. If accidentally moved it must be returned to its proper position by the following player. | |||
| (c) | The last player to bowl in that end shall remove the delivery mat clear of the rink mat. | |||
| 5. | PLACING THE JACK | |||
| (a) | The marker in a singles game shall place the jack on the jack line where the player who is to play first requires it. | |||
| (b) | The skip whose side is to play first shall place the jack on the jack line at any length he/she chooses. | |||
| (c) | The jack may be placed on the jack line in any position and may overhang the end of the jack line provided it is in contact with the jack line. | |||
| 6. | STANCE ON THE DELIVERY MAT | |||
| A player at the moment of delivering the bowl shall have the whole of one foot entirely within the confines of the delivery mat. The foot must be either in contact with or directly above the delivery mat. The other foot may be placed totally on the delivery mat or partially on the delivery mat and the delivery area or totally within the delivery area. The delivery area is shown diagonally hatched on the diagram in the rule book. The delivery lines, the visible ditch line and the delivery mat lines do not form part of the hatched legitimate delivery area. No part of the body shall be in contact with the ditch area or any part of the rink mat outside the legitimate delivery area. Failure to observe this Law constitutes foot faulting. | ||||
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| 7. | FOOT FAULTING | |||
| (a) | Should a player in a singles game foot fault, the marker shall stop the bowl and remove it clear of the rink mat; | |||
| (b) | In all other cases the opposing player who is in charge of the head, shall stop and remove the offending bowl. | |||
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NOTE: In Pairs, Triples and Fours games it is the duty of the players who are at the delivery end to call foot faults. In Singles games only the players involved and the Umpire may call foot faults. |
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| 8. | FENDER DISPLACEMENT | |||
| Should the fender become displaced by a non-toucher entering the ditch; | ||||
| (a) | In a Singles game, the Marker will replace the fender and restore the jack and any touchers which mat have been at rest in the ditch to their original marker positions; | |||
| (b) | The player who is in charge of the head shall be responsible for replacing the fender and restoring the jack and any touchers which mat have been at rest in the ditch to their original marker positions; | |||
| Should the fender be displaced by a toucher or the jack entering the ditch and where such bowl(s) or the jack should touch the floor surface within the confines of the displaced fender, the following rules apply; | ||||
| (c) | In a Singles game, the Marker will replace the fender and place the jack and/or bowl(s) in the position at which it/they contacted the fender or left the rink mat, also restoring the jack and/or any touchers which may have been at rest in the ditch to their original marked positions; | |||
| (d) | The player who is in charge of the head for the opposing side shall be responsible for replacing the fender and placing the jack and/or bowl(s) in the position(s) at which it/they contacted the fender or left the rink mat, also restoring the jack and/or any touchers which may have been at rest in the ditch to their original marked positions. | |||
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| 9. | POSSESSION OF THE RINK MAT | |||
| (a) | Possession of the rink mat shall belong to the side whose bowl is in play; | |||
| (b) | The players in possession of the rink mat shall not be interfered with, annoyed, barracked or have their attention distracted by the opponents; | |||
| (c) | As soon as each bowl has come to rest, possession of the rink mat shall be transferred to the other side, time being allowed for marking a toucher, removing dead bowls or making line decisions. | |||
| 10. | POSITION OF THE PLAYERS | |||
| Players not in the act of playing or controlling play must be clear of the rink mat and if practical be behind the fender. | ||||
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| 11. | PLAYERS AND THEIR DUTIES | |||
| SKIP | ||||
| (a) | The skip shall have SOLE charge of their side and their instructions must be obeyed by all their players; | |||
| (b) | With the opposing skips they will decide all disputed points or shots. When both skips agree their decision shall be final. If they cannot agree either one will call the Umpire who will then arbitrate and their decision shall be final and binding. In the absence of an official Umpire, any person mutually agreed by both players will act as the Umpire and their decision will be binding. | |||
| Whilst at the head | ||||
| (c) | They will be responsible for marking all touchers or removing the chalk marks from any non touchers. They will be responsible for removing any dead bowls from the ditch, off the rink mat or dead area; | |||
| (d) | They will decide on any line bowls with the other skip and any other matters or will call the Umpire to adjudicate; | |||
| (e) | They may remain at the head end until it is their turn to bowl. They may visit the head only when in charge of the rink mat, but may not carry their bowl beyond the nearest dead line. Any bowl carried beyond the dead line will be declared dead and must be removed from the rink mat. | |||
| (f) | It will be the responsibility of the skip to call foot faults whilst at the delivery end. (See also 7. FOOT FAULTING). | |||
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| THIRD | ||||
| (a) | The third will do all of the measuring and agree the shots, allowing the opposite number to also measure and will inform the skip of the result. Only if the thirds cannot agree will they call the skips who will then arbitrate; | |||
| (b) | The third will mark all touchers or remove the marks from any non-touchers and will remove any dead bowls from the rink mat or ditch and will see the jack or any toucher in the ditch is not disturbed except by another toucher; | |||
| (c) | The third will take charge of the head only when it is the skips turn to bowl and their side is in possession of the rink mat. If the head is changed he/she will inform the skip and direct the play accordingly. | |||
| (d) | The third may remain at the head end until it is their turn to bowl. They may not return to the head end or pass beyond the delivery end dead line once they have played their first bowl until it is the skips turn to bow, except to replace the block if disturbed by a bowl they have personally bowled. | |||
| SECOND IN A FOURS GAME | ||||
| (a) | The second will keep the score card and will see that the names of all players on each side are entered; | |||
| (b) | The second will record the score both for and against as agreed by the thirds and will compare the card with the opposing second after each end; | |||
| (c) | The second will be responsible for the score card and will retain it in their possession at all times and hand it to the skip on completion of the game. | |||
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| SECOND IN A TRIPLES GAME | ||||
| (a) | The second will keep the score card as in a fours game, but will also agree the shot or shots with the opposing second and having recorded them will inform the skip; | |||
| (b) | The second will provide the claim for shots by measuring, but will not cause any bowl to be moved until the shot or shots are agreed, allowing the opposing second to also measure and if they cannot agree will call the skips to arbitrate; | |||
| (c) | The second will take charge of the head when it is the skips turn to bowl and their side is in possession of the rink mat. They will inform the skip if the head has been altered and guide the play accordingly; | |||
| (d) | The second will mark all touchers and remove the chalk from any non touchers; | |||
| (e) | The second will remove any dead bowls from the ditch; | |||
| (f) | The second will not visit the head whilst at the delivery mat end and will remain behind the mat until the opposing second has bowled all their bowls. | |||
| LEADS | ||||
| The lead shall place the delivery mat correctly and see that the jack is correctly centred on the jack line before playing the first bowl. | ||||
| The leads shall bowl singly and alternately until all their bowls have been played. The leads will not visit the head or go to the head end until all the other players at that end have bowled all their bowls and will remain behind the delivery mat or the fender. | ||||
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| DIRECTING PLAY | ||||
| Only one player shall be allowed on the mat at the head end at any one time in order to direct play and then only when their side is in possession of the rink mat. They MUST leave the rink mat before the next bowl is delivered. | ||||
| FORCING SHOTS | ||||
| (a) | A player who intends to play a forcing or firing shot MUST give a VERBAL and a VISUAL warning to the player in charge of the head end or the marker in a singles game and must then allow time for those in the vicinity of the head to be made aware of their intentions before delivering the wood. | |||
| (b) | Once advised that a forcing or firing shot is intended, the player in charge of the head or the marker in a singles game must advise all other players in the vicinity of the head end and any nearby markers, umpires and spectators that such a shot is about to be played. | |||
| (c) | It is ultimately the responsibility of the player delivering the wood to ensure that no other person is placed at risk of injury. | |||
| (d) | Failure to comply with this Rule will result in the offending player being warned at the first infringement. Subsequent infringements will result on the player being asked to leave the rink mat and take no further part in the competition. | |||
| CONDUCT | ||||
| In the case of a wilful breach of the Laws of the Game or unfair or unsporting conduct, the Umpire may caution the offending player(s) or spectator(s) or order them to retire from the rink mat or area. In all cases except SERIOUS MISCONDUCT a player shall receive ONE caution. | ||||
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| 12. | PLAY INFRINGEMENTS | |||
| Following the bowl up the rink mat. | ||||
| No player shall follow their bowl up to the head on the rink mat or leave the rink mat and follow it up the side. Any player who infringes this LAW must be warned as soon as they cross the nearest dead line and on the second offence the opposing skip can have the bowl stopped and removed from the rink mat or have the end played again, but it must be from the same direction. | ||||
| Playing before the last bowl has come to rest. | ||||
| (a) | A bowl played before the last bowl has come to rest must be stopped and removed from the rink mat; | |||
| (b) | Any such bowl that disturbs the head or makes contact with any bowl or the jack, the opponent leave the head as altered or declare it void. It will be replayed from the same direction. | |||
| Changing the order of play. | ||||
| Players may change their order of play at the completion of any end. | ||||
| Playing out of turn. | ||||
| (a) | If a player plays before their turn, the opposing skip shall have the right to stop the bowl and cause it to be played again in its proper order; | |||
| (b) | If the bowl so played has moved the jack or altered the head, the opposing skip shall have the option of allowing the head to remain as it is or declaring it void; | |||
| (c) | If the head is declared void it will be replayed from the same direction; | |||
| (d) | If the head is allowed to remain in its new position the other players will follow in the new order of play. | |||
| Playing the wrong bowl. | ||||
| A bowl played by mistake shall be replaced by the players own bowl. | ||||
| Changing Bowls. | ||||
| No player shall change their bowls during a game unless they become damaged or objected to as not complying within the LAWS. | ||||
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| Leaving the rink mat. | ||||
| (a) | No player shall leave the rink mat whilst a game is in progress without first consulting their opposite number and then for a period not exceeding 10 minutes; | |||
| (b) | If during a team game a player is forced to leave the game through illness or any other just cause, their place may be taken by a substitute if both captains agree; | |||
| (c) | Should the sick or indisposed player return after the substitute has joined the game on the rink mat, even though the substitute has not bowled the player will not be allowed to rejoin the game , nor can they act as a substitute in any other set; | |||
| (d) | Should the opposing team captain not agree to the playing of a substitute or should there be no substitute available, the game will continue with the missing player being classed as the second. | |||
| Absentee players. | ||||
| (a) | If a player is absent from a side at the time laid down for the commencement of the game, a wait of 10 minutes will be allowed; | |||
| (b) | If trial ends are to be played they will take place. The missing player will forfeit their rights to trial ends; | |||
| (c) | If the missing player arrives before the trial ends are completed they will be allowed to play, only the trial ends will be forfeited; | |||
| (d) | If the missing player has not arrived by the expiry of the time allowed, a Singles or Pairs game will be awarded to the opponents. | |||
| (e) | A Triples or Fours game will commence with the missing player being considered as the second and a definite order of play will be maintained. It shall be LEAD, LEAD, SECOND, LEAD, LEAD, SECOND. | |||
| (f) | If the missing player arrives after the delivery mat has been placed for the first end they shall not be allowed to play. | |||
| Playing with a missing player. | ||||
| There will be no penalty or extra bowls played by the side wit a player missing, but in Triples or Fours games the missing player will be considered as the second and a definite order of play will be maintained. It shall be LEAD, LEAD, SECOND, LEAD, LEAD, SECOND. | ||||
| Objects on the rink mat. | ||||
| Under NO circumstances shall any object to assist any player or to influence the play be placed on the rink mat or on the fender or on the jack or on a bowl or elsewhere. | ||||
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| 13. | RESULTS OF AN END | |||
| The Shot or Shots. | ||||
| (a) | A shot or shots shall be adjudged to be the bowl or bowls nearer the jack than the nearest bowl played by the opposite side. | |||
| (b) | When the last bowl of the end comes to rest, 30 second shall elapse if either side request it during which time no bowls shall be touched, chalked, measurer or interfered with. The request MUST be made as soon as the last bowl has come to rest. No player may walk in the live area during that time. | |||
| (c) | Neither the jack nor bowls must be moved until both sides agree the result, except where a bowl or bowls have to be removed to allow another to be measured. Only the player conceding the shot(s) may remove the bowls from the rink mat. If a player removes a bowl(s) before agreement has been reached a penalty of one shot per bowl removed may be claimed by the opposing team. | |||
| (d) | No measuring shall be allowed until after the last bowl has come to rest. | |||
| (e) | When the last bowl has come to rest at the completion of an end, only one player from each team shall be allowed on the rink mat for the purpose of deciding the shot or shorts scored. | |||
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| Measuring. | ||||
| All measuring MUST be done with callipers, flexible measure or other equipment approved by the E.S.M.B.A. (See Appendix) | ||||
| All measuring shall be to the nearest point of both objects . | ||||
| If a bowl requiring to be measured is resting on another bowl which prevent sit being measured, the best means available shall be taken to secure it in position whereupon the other bowl shall be removed. The same applies if more than one bowl is involved. | ||||
| the use of the hand or fingers for this purpose if PROHIBITED. | ||||
| The same applies if a bowl not so resting is in danger of falling before measuring is complete. | ||||
| If the jack is in such a position that it maybe moved whilst it is being measurer, the best means available shall be taken to secure its position prior to the measure being made. | ||||
| The placing of the hand or finger on the jack or any bowl to be measured constitutes disturbance and the opposing side shall claim the shot or shots or refuse to acknowledge the shot or shots in dispute. | ||||
| Measuring with hand, foot, mat or any other object other than the recognised measure is PROHIBITED. | ||||
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| Live end no score. | ||||
| When at the conclusion of an end the nearest bowls of each side are touching the jack or the two nearest bowls are of an equal distance from the jack or there are no bowls in the live area or touchers in the ditch, it shall be deemed to be a live end and NO SCORE. The end shall be recorded as an end played. | ||||
| the player who played first in the tied end shall again play first and it shall be played from where the last end finished. | ||||
| Last bowl in an end. | ||||
| Nothing in these Laws shall be deemed to make it mandatory for the last player to play their last bowl in any end, but they should make their intention known to the opposing side before commencement of the determination of the result of an end. Once they have declared, that bowl may not be played. | ||||
| 14. | EXTRA END | |||
| (a) | In the event of a draw at the conclusion of a game where a winner must be determined, an extra end must be played. | |||
| (b) | The team captains in a team game or the leads in other games shall toss for the start. The winner will have the right to play first or second. | |||
| (c) | The extra end shall be played from where the last end finished. | |||
| (d) | If at the conclusion of the extra end it is still a draw, a further end will be played. The toss will again be made and the end played from where the last end finished. | |||
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| 15. | GAME DECISIONS | |||
| The winner is the player or team with the highest number of shots or points at the end of the game. | ||||
| 16. | SPECTATORS | |||
| Persons not engaged in the game shall be situated clear of and beyond the limits of the rink mat. They shall neither by word or act disturb or advise the players. | ||||
| 17. | SUBSTITUTES | |||
| Pairs, Triples and Fours Games: Competition | ||||
| The players taking part in the game shall constitute the team and will normally play together throughout the competition. One additional player - and the same player - may be used as a substitute at any time provided that he/she has not already taken part in the competition. | ||||
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