TADCASTER AND DISTRICT EVENING BOWLS LEAGUE RULES 1. TITLE The title of the league shall be:- The Tadcaster and District Evening Bowls League 2. OBJECTS The primary object of the league shall be to further the game of Crown Green Bowls. 3. MEMBERSHIP Any club wishing to become a member of the league must submit a written application proposed by an existing member club and seconded by another existing club no later than 28 days before the annual general meeting. A club wishing to terminate its membership of the league, or withdraw a team from a competition must notify the Honorary Secretary in writing at least 28 days before annual general meeting. 4. CHARGES The charges for facilities provided by the league will be decided by the annual general meeting, or any special general meeting called for that purpose. Payment of annual subscriptions must be made to the Honorary Treasurer by 1 st May. Presentation Evening deposits must be made to the Honorary Treasurer by 31 st August. 5. OFFICIALS The officials of the league will be President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Competition Secretary, (all non voting) and two auditors (not officers or members of the Executive Committee). 6. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE This will be composed of the officials plus one representative of each member club, notified to and confirmed by the leagues annual general meeting, each representative will have one vote at the executive and general meetings. Representatives can only be changed during the year with the approval of the Executive Committee. The executive committee is authorised to: a) Be the governing body of the league. b) Suspend or expel any club whose conduct or behaviour shall be deemed to warrant such action. c) Manage and control the finances of the league d) Carry out such duties as they deem necessary for fulfilling the objects of the league in accordance with the rules. 1
7. CLUB REPRESENTATIVES Each club may send two voting members to a general meeting in addition to the representative on the Executive Committee. 8. MEETINGS a) The Secretary may call Executive Committee meetings when necessary. b) The Executive Committee may call special general meetings for any purpose. c) The Secretary must convene a special meeting on receipt of a request stating in writing the business for the meeting and signed by the secretaries of not less than three member clubs. d) The annual general meeting must be held not later than the end of December. e) An end of season/pre AGM meeting will be held at the end of September; a pre season meeting will be held in February. f) The quorum for an executive meeting is 5 voting members and 12 for a general meeting. 9. ACCOUNTS Audited accounts for the financial year must be submitted to the annual general meeting by the Honorary Treasurer. 10. COMPETITIONS 1. League (teams of 8 players) a) The composition of the league and methods of play will be determined at the annual general meeting, divisions to have a minimum of eight and maximum of ten teams. b) The fixture list (confirmed by the Executive Committee) will be completed by the end of March each year and will provide for Home and Away matches to be played between each team in the division. c) The last two evening matches of the season must commence not later than 6 pm; the two matches before that not later than 6.30 pm. Other evening game should commence not later than 6.45 pm. (2013 AGM) d) Matches will be played according to the fixture list. Matches may be brought forward by mutual agreement between the teams concerned or postponed if the green is unfit. Postponed fixtures shall be re-arranged within fourteen days. Failure to agree a date must be reported to the Executive Committee and it will fix a date to which the clubs will adhere. e) Players must be fully paid up members of the club they represent. A list of registered players shall be submitted to the Competition Secretary before the first Richardson Trophy and evening league match is played. Additions can be made providing 7 days notice in writing is given to the Competition Secretary. f) i) Clubs with only one team in the league:- all their members will be eligible to play without restriction ii) Clubs with two teams in the league will be required to star six players in the first team, and those players will not be allowed to play in any other team within the league. 2
iii) Clubs with three or four teams in the league will be required to star 6 players in each team, those starred players will not be allowed to play in a team in a lower division. All starred players will be eligible to play without restriction in a team in a higher division. g) If a player drawn to play in a match is not available to play one hour after the commencement of play, the captain of the opposing team must request the captain of team with the player absent to provide a substitute. Failure to do this will result in the player ready to play claiming the game. The entry on the match sheet for the offending team will be absent 0. The Executive Committee will decide the action to be taken against the offending team. h) The captains of competing clubs shall decide questions of play and all matters of dispute. i) Visiting players may have two ends practice immediately prior to the commencement of their game. j) Visiting players will deliver the jack at the commencement of a game. The jack must be a standard jack as defined in Appendix A of the Yorkshire Crown Green Bowling Association handbook. k) An official result sheet will be completed for each match. Names must be printed. The sheet must be countersigned by the captains. Points scored as follows:- 1 Point for each winning player ) 2 Points for the winning aggregate ) 10 points per match 1 Point each for an aggregate tie ) The result sheets must be sent by the home club to the Competition Secretary by first class post the day after the match. Clubs will be fined 2 when the result sheet arrives late, as defined by the post mark on the envelope. Evidence of late receipt will be kept by the Competition Secretary. After 3 fines in one season the offending club will be called before the Executive Committee for an explanation. l) Teams failing to complete a fixture without a satisfactory explanation will cause their club to be fined as decided by the Executive Committee and membership of the league for the following year may be withheld. m) If two or more teams in a division have the same number of points when all matches have been played, league positions will be decided by the best aggregate points difference. n) An individual average competition will operate for each division. The winner will be the player with the best average arising from dividing the aggregate points difference by the number of matches played. To qualify for this competition an individual must have played 75% of the league fixtures and at least 50% of that number must be away matches. 3
10.2 RICHARDSON TROPHY (teams of 4 pairs) a) Open to fully paid-up members of clubs affiliated to the league. b) Players can only play for one team throughout the mini-league stages of the competition. If a club s A team reach the quarter-final stages and beyond and are short of players, therefore unable to field a team, then if that club also has a B team playing in the Richardson, but who have been eliminated, that club should be allowed to use their B team players in the A team. c) Teams will be drawn into mini-leagues irrespective of the division in which they play in the league competition, (matches to be played on neutral greens) d) But the following handicaps will apply:- Division 1 teams: Division 2 teams: Division 3 teams: Division 4 teams: Scratch Plus 12 points Plus 24 points Plus 36 points These points will be added to the aggregate scores to determine the match results. The team with the winning aggregate will be awarded 2 points; if a match is drawn, the two teams will be awarded 1 point each. (2011/12 AGM) If there is a tie at the top of the mini league, the winners will be the team with the best aggregate points difference. The winning teams from each mini league will go forward to the quarter finals. (2011/12 AGM) e) Quarter finals will be played between the mini-league winners as indicated below:- 1 v 2, 3 v 4, 5 v 6, 7 v 8. - The winners become the semi-finalists. If a match results in a tie the two captains will select a pair from their team to play each other in a 21 up decider. f) The quarter finals, semi finals and finals will be played on a Sunday in May, as soon as possible after the rounds. (2012 AGM) The captain of a team winning a quarter- final or semi-final may change the team for the following match, providing the new player(s) is eligible. g) If there is a tie in the semi-final or final, the two captains will select a pair from their team to play a 21 up decider. h) No pre match practice allowed in any fixture in this competition. i) In all matches the team winning the toss of a coin will deliver the jack in the odd number games on the draw sheet, and the other team in the even number. j) Other rules associated with league competition operate in this competition where applicable. k) There should be three jacks in play by 6.30pm and the fourth jack will have a scratch time of 6.45 pm. 4
10.3 MERIT COMPETITIONS (singles and pairs) a) These will be operated on dates and at venues decided by the Executive Committee. b) Entries will be vetted by the Executive Committee and excluded at their discretion. c) In pairs competitions a named entry coupled with A.N.Other will be accepted, but the A.N.Other must be a new name in the competition and a member of the same club. d) The singles and foursomes merits should be played on neutral greens. If this is not possible, and the merit has to be played on a green where home players have entered, the handicap should be as the current Yorkshire Rule, which is 3.2.1 per game on a sliding scale for the first 3 rounds. Subsequent rounds to be played off level. This rule should be applied to First Division bowlers only. The handicapping of all other home bowlers should be done on an individual basis, taking into account experience and ability. This should be done by a member of the Executive Committee with a delegate of the League and an experienced member of the home club. This should take place immediately prior to the draw. (2012 AGM) e) Other rules associated with the league operate in these competitions. OPERATION AND ALTERATION OF RULES 1. APPLICATION. Each affiliated club is bound by the rules of the league. All competitions must be played in accordance with the laws of the game, and the bye-laws of the British Crown Green Bowling Association. 2. OBJECTIONS. Any club or player raising an objection under the rules applicable to competitions must do so within 48 hours after the match in writing, and must deposit 5.00 with the secretary which will be forfeited if the Executive Committee considers the objection groundless or frivolous, and the decision of the committee in all cases is final. 3. MATTERS NOT COVERED BY THE RULES. a) If any question or dispute arises which is not dealt with in the rules the Executive Committee has full power to decide the issue, and its decision is final. b) In the event of an unexpected event occurring which requires an urgent decision, any three of the officials will have the power to act. Any such decision to be subsequently ratified, or otherwise by the Executive Committee 5
4. INTERPRETATION OF RULES. The Executive Committee is the sole interpreter of the rules, and from its decision there is no further appeal either at law or otherwise. 5. ALTERATIONS. a) Notice of any proposed alteration of the rules must be given in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least 28 days before the annual general meeting. The Honorary Secretary must send notice thereof to the clubs affiliated to the league at least 10 days before the meeting. b) Rules will be only be altered if at least two thirds of the votes cast consent to the alteration. c) Any proposed alteration in rules applicable to competitions will only be considered two years after the last alteration to the rule. December 2013 6