League Rules  (2025)

League Rules   (2025)  LR V25-1.0    as at 310325

LEAGUE RULES  (Current)

1. The League Competition

a. Divisions - The League shall consist of one or more Divisions as decided by the Executive Committee with not more than eight teams in a division.

b. Number of teams - Clubs in membership shall be entitled to apply to the Committee to enter one or more teams each comprising of two rinks of four registered players.

c. Entry of teams - Each club shall notify the Hon. Secretary before the 31 of December each year the teams to be entered. A Team having not entered the League Competition in the previous year shall play in the lowest division.

d. Promotion and Relegation - The winner and runner-up of each division shall be promoted to the next higher division. The two teams scoring the lowest number of points shall be relegated to the next lower division. In the event of two or more teams finishing with an equal number of points promotion or relegation shall be decided on shot difference. It is not permitted to have more than two teams from the same club in any one division with promotion or relegation being adjusted accordingly by the Executive Committee. Also in exceptional circumstances promotion or relegation may be modified by the Executive Committee.

e. Disputes – If any dispute should arise concerning a match the matter must be reported within 48 hours in writing to the Hon Secretary for a ruling by the Executive Committee.

f. Regulations - The ‘Laws of the Sport of Bowls’ and those of ‘Bowls England’ shall apply to this competition unless otherwise modified by these League Rules.

(The Laws of the Sport of Bowls and these League Rules have been drawn up in the spirit of true sportsmanship. So, if a situation arises that is not covered by these laws/rules, players, markers and umpires must use their common sense and a spirit of fair play to decide on the appropriate course of action).

2. Registration of Players

All players shall be members of a club in membership of the CMBL. Be registered with the Hon. Secretary and fees paid to the Hon. Treasurer by not later than 1 May. They will be permitted to compete in a named league team. Each team squad may not exceed a maximum of twenty five registered male or female players. Changes or additions may be made to the registration of players at any time. No player shall play for more than one club competing in the League in any one year. Any team competing with an unregistered player shall have two points deducted from their league total. The whole team shall additionally have its total shots scored in that game reduced by one fourth (including decimal places) for each unregistered player taking part.

3. Transfer of players

The transfer of players between the teams of any one club shall be permitted only once during the competition year subject to the agreement of the Hon. Secretary.

4. Playing arrangements

a. Fixtures - Teams shall play each other twice during the competition on a home and away basis on dates defined by the Executive Committee. Where more than one team from the same club are in the same division wherever possible they shall play each other home and away – one game early in the season and one game mid-way through the season.

 b. Number of rinks - Each match played in the league shall consist of two rinks of four  registered players.

c. Starting time – All matches including trial ends are to commence by 6.15pm. This may be varied with the agreement of both Team Captains to allow known missing players to arrive. The start time however shall not be delayed any longer than fifteen minutes. (Rule 4d and 4e may also be involved)

d. Players missing – A team having less than seven players available at the ‘Starting Time’ (Rule 4c) shall forfeit the match to their opponents together with ten shots and eight points.

e. Rink of three players - Any team competing with a rink of three players shall have three bowls for each of the lead and second player and two bowls for the skip. A match so started must complete in the same manner. The team rink with three players will have their score reduced by one fourth of the total shots scored (including decimal places) and to be deducted from their score after the game has finished.

f. Number of ends - The number of ends shall be eighteen.

g. Rink/Green fees - All rink and green fees shall be paid by the host club playing on their own green.

h. Draw for Rinks - Pre prepare score cards with the selected teams. The home Team Captain (TC) to advise the rink numbers on which the match is to be played. The home TC to place their scorecards face down on a table. The away TC to place their scorecards face down on top of the home scorecards. The away TC to mark on the back of the top cards the rink numbers previously advised (The away TC may randomly choose which face down card has which rink number) Turn the cards over and mark on the front the randomly selected rink number.

i. Award of points - Four points shall be awarded to the team winning the match on aggregate

score from the two rinks. In the event of the aggregate score being equal each team will be awarded two points. Two points will also be awarded to the winning team on each rink with one point each being awarded in the event of a tie.

j. Result and score cards - A Match Result Card is to be signed by both Team Captains as a correct record of the match together with one set of Score Cards signed by the competing skips as a true record of their rink scores.

k. Result Notification - Match Result Cards and one set of Score Cards shall be sent by the home drawn side by first class post or by electronic mail not later than the day following the match to the Hon. Match Secretary or the designated League Steward.

l. Teams in default – A team in default of these ‘Playing arrangements’ shall be deemed to have lost the match by ten shots and eight points even in the event of them having won or drawn the match. Should the match be lost the result will stand and ten shots added to the deficit.

5. Postponements

a. Rearrangement - If a league match is postponed due to weather conditions or the venue not being available the match shall be played before the CMBL published relevant division penultimate match date. However, if the penultimate or last league match is postponed the match shall take place within one week of the original match date.

b. Notifications - The rematch date shall be notified to the Hon. Match Secretary or the designated League Steward within fourteen days of the original date or within seven days in the case of the postponement of the penultimate or last league match.

c. Qualifying ends - In the event of a match being unable to be finished due to weather conditions – provided two thirds of the scheduled ends are complete (i.e. Twenty four ends in an eighteen end two rink match).The score at the time of abandonment will stand as the final result. Otherwise Rule 5a and 5b applies.

d. Dangerous conditions – In the event of conditions being considered dangerous to the players (e.g. lightening) the match must be postponed and Rule 5a, 5b or 5c shall apply as appropriate.

e. Exceptional circumstance – In the event of exceptional circumstances not otherwise covered by the rules at least two independent Officers of the Committee shall be empowered to agree a postponement of a match.

As of 31/3/25

END