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Preston & District Amateur Bowling League - 2022


PRESTON & DISTRICT AMATEYR BOWLING LEAGUE

CONSTITUTIONAL RULES

 

1            Title and Scope of the League

 

1.1         The name of the Association will be “Preston and District Amateur Bowling League”; hereinafter referred to as “the League”.

 

 1.2         Membership of the League will be open to any team playing on home greens within a radius of 13 km (8 miles) of Preston Minster.

 

 1.3       The Preston & District Online Bowls website hereafter referred to as website.

 

2            Governance of the League

 

2.1.1      The Governing body of the League shall be composed of the President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and one representative; hereinafter referred to as the “delegate”, from each club in any division of the League.

 

2.1.2      Any member of the League may attend the Annual General Meeting of the Governing body of the League; hereinafter referred to as the AGM or any Delegates’ Meeting – see Rule 2.4 – and make representations to it on any issue discussed by the meeting. Only the nominated delegate of each club will be empowered to vote; should a vote be taken. In the event of a tied vote, the Chairman of the AGM or Delegates’ Meeting will have the casting vote.

 

2.2.1      Only the League Governing body at the AGM are empowered to amend, to add or delete any Rules of the League. Proposals for any change(s) with the proposing and seconding clubs clearly indicated must be submitted in writing to the Secretary at least five (5) weeks before the date of the AGM. A two-thirds majority is required for any rule change.

 

2.2.2     The AGM will be held each year before the last weekend of February.

 

2.2.3      Notice of the AGM will be issued by the Secretary, in writing, to the delegates at least four weeks before the published date of the AGM. The notice will include any offices eligible for re-election and the respective nominations received under Rule 2.3.2. In the absence of multiple nominations, those nominated will be deemed to be elected. The date of the AGM will be published in the previous season’s Handbook.

 

2.3.1      An Executive Committee shall be appointed by the AGM to administer the League in accordance with these rules, composed of the President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and a maximum of six members drawn from the delegate body. The President, Secretary and Treasurer will have no voting empowerment. The Chairman will have only a casting vote in the event of a stalemate on any issue.

 

2.3.2      Nominations for the offices and Executive Committee members are invited from the clubs and should be submitted in writing to the Secretary at least five weeks before the published date of the AGM.

 

2.3.3      The Executive Committee shall be empowered to deal with any matter arising which is not covered by these rules.

 

2.4         Should the Executive Committee consider any issue is beyond its remit, it shall call a meeting of the Governing Body which will be known as a “Delegates’ Meeting”. The rules for notice and agenda for such a meeting will be those as defined for the AGM at 2.2. No business other than that notified in the agenda will be discussed.

 

2.5         All approaches to the Executive Committee must be made through the Secretary.

 

2.6         Any club not represented at the AGM or any Delegates’ Meeting without the consent of the Executive Committee will be fined £20.

 

2.7         The Officers of the League; i.e. the President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer are the Trustees of its assets and are responsible for their safe keeping.

 

2.8         The Offices of the League; i.e. Chairman, Secretary, Results Secretary and Treasurer, and Committee shall carry honoraria as determined by the Governing body of the League at the AGM.

 

2.9         All income to the League including Affiliation and Registration fees, fines and disposal of assets will be kept in a common fund for the general administration of the League.

 

3            Registration of Teams

 

3.1         The Secretary will issue team registration forms to the clubs at the beginning of November. These will be returned to the Secretary before the 1st weekend in December. Clubs will indicate on the forms if their team(s) will also register for the individual Merit Competition (see Rule 7) and the League Knockout Competition (see Rule 9). Failure to comply will render the offending team(s) to a fine of £20.

 

3.2         Affiliation fees to the League will be determined by the Governing body of the League at the AGM.

 

3.3        Each club will appoint a captain for each team registered with the League.

 

3.4        The preferred night of play is Tuesday. Where a green hosts more than two teams, those teams holding the higher positions in the League will play on Tuesday Night where possible.

 

3.5        Any team not represented at the Presentation Night without the consent of the

              Executive Committee will forfeit any prize owed them

 

4            Registration of Bowlers

 

4.1         All bowlers must be registered with the British Crown Green Bowling Association and their membership number must be included along with their name on the Bowler Registration Form. Failure to comply will render the offending team(s) to a fine of £20.

 

4.2         Bowler Registration Forms and notice of the date and venue of the Registration Night will be issued to clubs whom have registered teams with the League, at or before the AGM. These will be submitted – completed with all bowlers’ names and BCGBA numbers - back to the Secretary on Registration Night along with the registration fee(s) determined by the Governing body of the League at the AGM. A team may register any number of players,

               but a surcharge on the registration fee will be made against teams registering more than 16 players. The registration fee and surcharge include a League Hand Book for each bowler. 

                            

4.3         In the case of a club registering more than one team with the League, a bowler can only be registered with one team and will only be permitted to play for the team with which he is registered.

 

4.4         Late registration of bowlers must be submitted to the Secretary in writing. No bowler will be permitted to bowl in any League or Knockout fixture until the Secretary has acknowledged their registration. No [new] bowler registration will be permitted after 31st May without the express consent of the Executive Committee.

 

4.5         Transfer of a bowler between teams will be permitted following a written application to the League Secretary. The bowler may not play for his new team until the Secretary has acknowledged the request. No transfer will be permitted after 31st May without the express consent of the Executive Committee.

 

4.6         All League members are entitled to participate in all tournaments held under the auspices of the North Lanc's & Fylde Crown Green Bowling Association in so far as the League is entitled to allow it or if they are not otherwise ineligible.

 

4.7         Any bowler not attending the Presentation Night without the consent of the Executive Committee will forfeit any prize owed them.

 

4.8         When any bowler is reported to the Executive Committee for un-gentlemanly conduct and found guilty, the Executive Committee shall be empowered to cancel his registration and bar him from playing for any team in the League.

 

5            Conduct of League Matches

 

5.1.1      All games will be played to twenty one (21) up under the rules of the British Crown Green Bowling Association.

 

5.1.2      Standard Jacks as defined in Appendix A of the BCGBA Rules, 2s full bias carrying a current 

               expiry date stamp must be available for practice and used in all league competitions. Jacks

               are not to be stamped on more than four occasions. Three on the bias side and fourth

               and final on none bias side.

5.2.1      All teams will consist of ten (10) bowlers all of which will be registered with the League as defined at 4 above. If any team fields an unregistered bowler or bowlers, should he/they win, the point (s) will be awarded to his/their opponent (s) who will receive 21: 10 towards the Merit. The offending team could; at the Executive Committee’s discretion, be fined and/or penalised to a maximum of 10 points.  

 

5.2.2      The visiting team will have exclusive use of the green for practice for fifteen (15) minutes only before the match commencement time. The visiting team captain/nominated representative shall be allowed to commence their fifteen minute practice twenty minutes before the match commencement time.

 

5.2.3     The visiting team will lead the block.

 

5.3.1      Each team shall play home and away matches against each other team in its respective division of the League in accordance with the fixture list in the League Handbook.

 

               

5.3.2      Two (2) points will be awarded for a home win, three (3) points for an away win, one (1) point for a home draw and two (2) points for an away draw plus one (1) point for each winning scorecard. The home team captain/nominated representative will enter the match results on the website. The match result cards to be counter signed by the away team

              captain/nominated representative and retained by the home captain. In the event of match scores not being entered on the website within 48 hours following the match, the home team will be fined £10.

 

5.4.1      Fixtures must be played on or before the date published in the fixture book/website. Results to be entered on the website for matches played on a mutually agreed date before that published in the fixture book/website must be entered on the relevant website date.

               A match can only be postponed; without recourse to the Executive Committee, by a green; agreed by both captains/nominated representatives or referee (if appointed), to be unplayable, adverse weather conditions or an unforeseen emergency. See also Rule 5.5.

 

5.4.2      If an unplayable green, adverse weather conditions or unforeseen emergency forces a postponement the team captains/nominated representatives will agree a new date for the match to be played within 21 days of the Friday following the published date of the said match. The home team captain/nominated representative shall report the new, mutually agreed date to the Secretary within 48 hours of the published match scratch time.

 

5.4.3      In all cases of a match being interrupted by adverse weather conditions or unforeseen emergency, the continuation must commence at the stage when the match was suspended and with game scores at the point of suspension carried forward. Before the visiting team leave the match venue, both team captains/nominated representatives will agree a new date for the match to be completed, within 21 days of the Friday following the published date of the said match. The home team captain/nominated representative shall report the new, mutually agreed date to the Secretary within 48 hours of the published match scratch time. If an unforeseen emergency results in the consequential unavailability of a player, a substitute – who will recommence on the carried forward score - will be allowed. If no substitute is available, the missing bowler’s score at the cessation will stand and his opponent will receive 21. Rule 5.8.3 will be applied from the recommencement time.

 

5.4.4     Any team failing to comply with the requirements of Rule 5.4 could; at the Executive Committee’s discretion, be fined and/or penalised by a reduction of points at the Executive Committee’s discretion.

                                                                                                   

5.5.1      If either team captain/nominated representative wishes to postpone a match for any reason other than that defined in Rule 5.4, they must inform the opposing team captain/nominated representative and the Secretary a minimum of one week before the published match date. No match will be postponed other than as defined in rule 5.4 above without both captains/ nominated representatives having been informed by the Secretary of the Executive Committee’s approval and the “play by” date set by the Committee.

 

5.5.2     Any team failing to comply with the Executive Committee’s directive under Rule 5.5.1

             with respect to the requested postponement could; at the Executive Committee’s            

             discretion be fined and/or penalised to a minimum of 10 points. 

5.6        No re-arranged match; as defined in 5.4 and 5.5 above will be played later than the Sunday at the start of the last week of the League fixtures without the consent of the Executive Committee.

 

5.7         Floodlights will be used as necessary when available. Matches at venues with floodlights; as indicated in the Handbook, will commence at 7pm prompt. Where floodlights are not provided, matches will start at 6.45pm prompt and five (5) games will be played concurrently during the months of March, April, August and September.

 

5.8.1      The draw for opponents shall be made by the team captains/nominated representatives presenting their teams in playing order; one to ten (1 – 10). Once paired, no bowler can be moved to another pairing. Only substitutes are permitted.

 

5.8.2      Normally, four (4) games will be played concurrently unless Rule 5.7 applies. However, if the conditions are such that both teams captains/nominated representatives consider that to complete the fixture, five (5) games will have to be played concurrently, it is permissible. Pairs one to four (1 – 4) – or five (5) when necessary – will commence promptly at the match

              start time. Pairs five (5), six (6) and seven (7) – or six to ten (6 – 10) when necessary – will commence when called or within one (1) hour of the match start time. Pairs eight (8), nine (9) and ten (10) will commence when called or within one and a half (1.5) hours of the match start time.

            

5.8.3      Any player not making themselves available up to one and a half (1.5) hours after the match commencement time shall be declared absent and replaced by a substitute if one is available.

 

5.8.4      In the event of a team being short of bowlers, the score shall count as twenty one – nil (21–0) against the offending team in respect of each missing bowler cannot claim the pairing as a win towards the Merit. The opponent of any absent bowler receives twenty one – ten score toward the Merit aggregate.

 

5.8.5      Any team failing to play a match in consequence of its League position or for any other reason not covered by Rules 5.4 and 5.5 above, when no exception circumstances prevail and unapproved by the Executive Committee will be liable to expulsion from the League.

 

5.9         In the event of two or more teams tying for first or second in any division, the team with the most points will be deemed successful. If that be equal, then the team with the most wins, least losses then best aggregate will apply as indicated on the website.  The same principle will apply to relegation positions.

 

5.10       In the event of a dispute, the team captains/nominated representatives shall act as referees unless an official referee has been appointed. Should the dispute still not be settled, a neutral arbitrator shall be called upon.

 

5.11      Any team that has been fined for whatever offence and has not paid that fine by                  31st September in that year will have points deducted from the same season’s total.

 

5.12     Any player awarded a game because of his opponent’s transgression of any rule cannot

             claim the win towards the Merit, but can receive the score at the games cessation towards

             the Merit aggregate.

 

 6         League Merit Awards

 

 6.1      Claims for Merit awards will be determined by the website divisional table.

 

6.2        In the event of two or more bowlers having the same number of wins, the bowler with the

              higher aggregate will be deemed the Merit winner ref rule 6.1

 

7           Merit Competition

 

Any team having registered for the Merit Competition (see Rule 3.1) and failing to be represented will be fined £20.

 

8            Protests and Appeals

 

8.1         Any protest or appeal must be submitted to the Secretary in writing with a £20 deposit   which will be refunded should the protest be substantiated or appeal upheld. No protest, complaint or accusation will be acted upon on word of mouth or hearsay alone.

 

8.2         All teams must co-operate with any consequential Executive Committee investigation.

 

8.3         Should a protest or appeal be substantiated, it will be dealt with in accordance with the appropriate league Rule.

 

8.4         By receipt of the League Handbook containing these rules under Rule 4.2, each bowler and their respective teams will be deemed familiar with the rules. Consequently, ignorance of them will not be tolerated as a defence.

 

8.5         Any club or team found to have deliberately violated the rules of the League could; at the Executive Committee’s discretion, render itself liable expulsion from the League.

 

8.6         Any bowler found to have deliberately violated the rules of the League could; at the Executive Committee’s discretion, render them self liable to expulsion from the League.

 

9            Team Knockout Competition; hereinafter called “the Competition”.

 

9.1         Limited to teams having registered for the Competition when registering for the League; see Rules 3.1 above.

 

9.1.1      Bowlers registered with a team not entered into the Competition may play in the Competition for a team at the same club, provided that team is not in a lower division.

 

9.2.1      The first team out of the draw in each pair will be the "home" team. Each round of the

               competition will be completed to a separate draw.

 

9.2.2      The Semi-final and the final will be played on neutral greens

 

9.2.3      The conduct for Knockout Competition matches will be generally as that defined for League matches in Rules 5 with the exception of Rules 5.3.2 for determining the winner; see Rule 9.3 and 5.2.3 for the semi-final and final or for opponents using the same green; see Rule 9.2.4.

 

9.2.4      In the event of teams sharing the same green being drawn against each other.
Both teams to receive the home handicap, with a further 0.5 chalk to be received by the lowest league positioned team. Both teams shall have alternate blocks

              The Semi-Finals & Final will be played on neutral greens.

              In the Semi-Finals and Final, cards are to be paired up before 6:25pm.
Practice for pairings numbered 6 to 10 will be 6:30pm - 6:42pm.
Practice for pairings numbered 1 to 5 will be 6:45pm - 6:57pm.
Markers and measurers are to be provided by all teams.
see also Rule 9.4.

 

9.2.5      Any player eligible to play in K/O Cup Semi-Final, Final must have played 3 League or

               Cup matches or the team they are representing       

9.3.1      The result of each match will be determined in the first instance solely by the total number of points (chalks) scored; inclusive of the handicap defined at Rule 9.4.

 

9.3.2     The home team captain/nominated representative will enter the match result on the online bowls website without delay. The match result cards to be counter signed by the away team captain/nominated representative and retained by the home captain..

  

9.4         Handicaps

               Teams will “receive” their handicaps: i.e. the handicap will be added to their score,

               in accordance with the following tables. The away team to receive an additional

               handicap of 0.5 pt. See website for complete Handicaps details

 

Handicaps for the semi-final and final will be subject to review by the Executive Committee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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