CONSTITUTION

1. The title shall be “THE CAMBRIDGE AND DISTRICT BOWLS LEAGUE”.

2. The Management Committee shall be elected to administer the business of the League and will consist of the President, Immediate Past President, Senior Vice President, Junior Vice President, League Secretary, League Fixtures Secretary, Competitions Secretary, Treasurer and up to six Committee members, who will be elected for one year. The Senior Vice President and Junior Vice President will move up position each year, with the Junior Vice President position being vacant and filled at the AGM. The President will be elected for one year in office and act as Chairman during the year. All affiliated clubs may nominate members for election.

3. The Management Committee and not more than two delegates, from each club, may vote at any General Meeting; the President shall have any casting vote.

4. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the League Secretary giving not less than 28 days notice, upon resolution passed by the Management Committee, or upon receipt of a written request from at least SEVEN member clubs, who will provide proof that the said Club Committee has passed such a resolution.

5 Proposed alterations to the Constitution or Playing Rules must be notified to
the Secretary, not less than 42 days before the AGM. The Secretary will
notify all clubs of proposed alterations, not less than 28 days before the
AGM. Clubs wishing to amend the alteration(s) must notify the League
Secretary, in writing, not less than 5 days before the AGM. Upon receipt of
such alterations or amendments, the League Management Committee may
meet and discuss any of the amendments.

 

 

RULES updated 2007

1. The League will be divided into divisions, as required. At the end of each season,
the top two teams in a division will be promoted to the next higher division,
whilst the bottom two teams in a division, will be relegated to the next lower
division, unless decided otherwise by the Committee.

2. Competition, Affiliation and League membership fees will be proposed and
confirmed at each AGM, to be effective for the following season. All fees must be
paid by the date of the fixture meeting, or at the meeting, to the League Treasurer,
otherwise the fees will be doubled.

3. The Accounts and Balance Sheet, which has been duly audited by two members
appointed at the previous AGM, shall be presented by the Treasurer at each AGM.

4. The trophies applicable to the League Divisions will be won by the club scoring
the greatest number of points. In the event of two or more teams leading a
division, with an equal number of points, shot difference will be taken into
account.

5. Trophies will be presented to all League and Competition winners at the Annual
Dinner and all perpetual trophies should be returned to the Senior V.P. or the
Junior V.P., on or before the date of the fixtures meeting.

6. In the event of any contingency arising that is not provided for in these rules,
the Management Committee’s decision shall be final.

7. RULES OF PLAY

a) A team shall consist of four rinks each of three players. 18 ends of three bowls to be played. All four rinks must be played. If a team is short of players, rinks of two against three must be arranged. No person to play more than three bowls.

b) If a rink is a player short the order of play should be as follows:

(i) When the pair of players win the jack
The lead player of the pair casts the jack and plays one bowl
The opposing lead plays two bowls
The pairs lead then plays one bowl (his second)
Then the triples lead plays one bowl (his third)
The triples second player plays one bowl
The pairs lead plays one bowl (his third)
The triples No 2 then plays his final two bowls
The skips play their three bowls in the normal way.

(ii) When the triples win the jack
The triples lead casts the jack and plays two bowls
The pairs lead plays one bowl
The triples lead plays one bowl (his third)
Then the triples No 2 plays one bowl
The pairs lead plays one bowl (his second)
The triples No 2 plays his final two bowls
The pairs lead plays his final one bowl
The skips play their three bowls in the normal way.

(c) All rinks to be divided by white string: bowls touching the string shall become dead.

(d) If the jack touches the string, goes into another rink or the ditch, the end will be counted but no score taken.

(e) Skips will be allowed to change the order of their rink between ends as many times as they wish during the match in both League and Cup competitions.

(f) In all League and Gilbert cup matches only, the trial ends will be omitted and the first 2 ends of the match will be played straight off, with only one shot being awarded on each of the first 2 ends.

(g) If an end is disturbed the skips may come to an agreement; otherwise the end shall be replayed.

(h) On the first end the lead shall place the rear of the mat one yard from the ditch and not less than one yard from the string. Thereafter the mat may be placed as far up the green as desired so long as a 21 yard cast is obtained, retaining the one yard from the string and ditch rule. No cast shall be less than 21 yards.

(i) Any query about the length of the cast must be resolved before the first bowl is played. Once the first bowl has been played the end must be completed.

(j) The jack and all bowls must be delivered from the mat with the foot on or above the mat. The mat must not be moved during the end. If the mat is inadvertently moved it must be restored to the original position.

(k) The jack shall rest not less than one yard from the ditch or strings.

(l) In the event of the jack not resting properly after two casts the opposing lead shall deliver the jack and be allowed two casts. The opposing lead may reset the mat but shall not play out of order. If after four casts the jack has still not been cast correctly it reverts to the original lead.

(m) No bowl shall count at the conclusion of the end if it is resting more than one yard from the jack.

(n) If after the completion of an end two bowls are touching and one bowl is resting on another, measurement is to be taken, as far as is possible, before the bowls are moved or touched.

(o) All players must wear flat regulation shoes or slips, white tops and grey trousers or skirts, or official club colours, in ALL league matches and competitions, except for final events. (see rule 19) In addition, ladies may wear grey-coloured bowls cropped trousers, again except for final events.

8(a) A member of the league shall not play for more than one club during a season, without the consent of the Management Committee. In the case of a club having two teams, a member of the senior team may play only two matches a season for the ‘A’ team and vice versa, with the maximum number of players per match, being restricted to four.

(b) All clubs with two teams, must register all the players in each team, within 14 days after the start of the season. All the other relevant clubs can then be notified of these team registration lists, within 4 weeks from the start of the season.

(c) Any new member, joining a club with 2 teams, must be registered 24 hours before they are allowed to play.

9(a) Clubs may NOT alter dates of League matches. In the event of a match being postponed for any reason other than severe weather conditions or unfit green, the club calling off the match shall be penalised as follows:
Altering one match will be deducted 4 points
Altering two matches will be deducted 6 points per match
Altering three matches will be deducted 8 points per match
Altering four matches will be deducted 10 points per match
Altering five matches or more will be decided by Management Committee
All postponed matches to be rearranged and played and the League Fixtures Secretary must be notified of this new date within 14 days, as the final agreement must be sanctioned by the Management Committee.

(b) If, prior to the match, the green is unfit for play, in accordance with Rule 10(h), the home team shall notify the visiting team, if possible at least two hours before play is due to start. If however, during a match, the green becomes unfit for play in accordance with Rule 7(h), then Rule 12 applies.

10. Matches will commence by 6.30pm during May, June and July, and by 6.15pm
during August.

11. Teams failing to turn up for a match, shall forfeit SEVEN points and will
reimburse the cost of any expenses incurred by the non-defaulting team. The
match will be rearranged, to the approval of the League Fixtures Secretary, within
14 days of the original match date.

12. Should a League match or Gilbert Cup competition be stopped by the weather or
other circumstances and 15 ends have been completed on ALL rinks, the result
will stand. If any rink has completed more than 15 ends, the scores shall be taken
as at 15 ends on all four rinks. Where less than 15 ends have been completed the
match will be completely replayed on a date agreed by both teams. The League
Fixture Secretary shall be notified of the re-arranged dates.

13. All clubs shall endeavour to play at least one League match per week throughout the season, and at least half the club’s fixtures should be completed by 30 June. All fixtures MUST be completed by 31 August. Champion of Champions Competition quarter-final to be played on the first Sunday in September, semi-finals to be played on the second Sunday in September, and the final to be played on the third Sunday in September. All matches to commence at 3.00pm.

14. All protests to be lodged with the League Secretary, in writing, within three days of the match in question.

15. For League matches, points will be awarded as follows: 3 points for a win, 1½ points for a tie, plus 1 point for each winning rink and ½ point for a tied rink.

16. The result cards to be COMPLETED & SIGNED BY BOTH team captains, and include the names of ALL bowlers who played in the match. The result of each League match must be sent to the League Fixtures Secretary within three days, by the Secretary of the home club.

17. GILBERT CUP

There will be four rinks, two rinks at home and two rinks away. Before the rink score cards are numbered by the visiting Captain, the Captain of the first named club in the draw shall nominate one rink to play a 19th end. This extra end shall only count in the event of a tie at the end of 18 ends. The method of play for this extra end shall be defined under rule 7h, as for the first end. Should no concluding result arise from this first extra end, then the teams will re-toss the coin and continue to play, as per this rule, until a final result is achieved. Rules as for League and competitions, including the Champion of Champions competition.

18. All rink score cards to be laid face downwards and numbered by the visiting Captain. This applies to League and Gilbert Cup competition games.

19. COMPETITIONS

Singles shall be played with four bowls each player (21 shots), pairs with four bowls each player (21 ends), Lacon Cup (triples) three bowls each player (18 ends), Lord Eltisley Cup (triples) two bowls each player (21 ends). All Competition games, (including the Gilbert Cup) will start at 6.30pm (6.15pm in August) on the day prescribed in the handbook, unless brought forward to an earlier time and/or date by mutual consent. A player(s) not turning up to play at the correct time or date will forfeit the game. For competition semi-finals, contestants shall notify the Competition Secretary who will arrange a green. All competition finals to be played on finals day in whites. If both teams/competitors agree to bring forward the date of their competition match, then this new date will become the agreed “play-by” date, for that tie.

20. Any green fees and booking fees required for competitions are the responsibility of the home club or competitor involved. The cost of any neutral greens will be paid for by the League.

21. The two players starting in the pairs competition shall constitute ‘The Pair’. The three players starting in the triples competition shall constitute ‘The Triple’. These players should normally play together throughout the competition. One additional, and the same, player may be used as a substitute at any time, provided he or she has not already played in the competition. All entrants in pairs and triples competitions must be members of the same club. If one member of a pair or triple is unavailable for any reason, a substitute must be used. Entrants in the Secretary/Treasurer’s Competition must be the Official Club Secretary and Official Club Treasurer. Substitutes are NOT permitted in this competition.

22. Competitions may only be cancelled due to inclement weather, and for no other reason. In the event of a cancellation, the players must agree on a new date and inform the Competitions Secretary, within 24 hours of the original date. This re-arranged tie must be played within 7 days of the original date. Non-compliance with this rule may result in both teams/competitors facing elimination from that particular competition.

23. In the event of any disputes, the decision of the President, League Secretary, Competitions Secretary, plus one other to be elected at the AGM, will be final.

24. The Management Committee has permission to nominate fellow members, whom they consider to have rendered loyal service to the League, over many years, to receive the title of LIFE MEMBER.