 
|
Section 4 - Arranging a game
11 |
General form and length |
| |
| 1 |
A game of bowls should be played on one rink or on several rinks. |
| 2 |
The game should consist of a pre-arranged number of shots or ends, or be played for a fixed period of time that is decided beforehand. |
| 3 |
Ends should be played in turn from opposite directions, except as described in laws 28, 31, 33 and 48. |
|
| |
|
12 |
Choosing the rinks for play |
| |
| 1 |
The skips, their representatives or the Controlling Body should make the draw for the rinks on which games are to be played. |
| 2 |
In games where competing skips have previously been decided, the visiting skips, their representatives or the Controlling Body should make the draw to decide the numbers of the rinks to be played on. |
| 3 |
If, before play starts, a player in a competition or game plays on the same rink on the day of the competition or game, that player will be disqualified. This does not apply to open tournaments |
| 4 |
For domestic play, Member National Authorities can decide the requirements for playing on the same rink on the day of a competition or game. |
|
| |
|
13 |
Practice |
| |
| 1 |
If a player or team that has not yet played is due to meet a player or team that has already played on the same day, the player or team that has not yet played can practise as long as:
- the Controlling Body gives approval;
- there is enough time available without delaying the competition; and
- another rink is available apart from that on which the player or team has been drawn to play later that day.
|
| 2 |
If a player or team has already played on the same green on the same day, that player or team can practise in line with paragraph 1 above if they have a ‘bye’. (A player or team has a ‘bye’ in any round of a competition if they don’t have an opponent in that round.) |
| 3 |
The Controlling Body should allocate the rink on which a player or team can practise. |
| 4 |
If two players or two teams are entitled to practise:
- they can practise together; and
- the format of, and the number of bowls used in, the practice should be decided by the players concerned.
|
|
| |
|
14 |
Play arrangements |
| |
Games should be organised as:
- a Singles game;
- a team game;
- a side game;
- a series of Singles games, team games or side games; or
- a tournament of games.
|
| |
|
14.1 |
Singles game |
| |
A Singles game should be played between two opposing players. Players should play singly and in turn either two, three or four of a set of bowls as decided by the Controlling Body. |
14.2 |
Pairs game |
|
A Pairs game should be played by two opposing teams, each with two players. Players should play singly and in turn either two, three or four of a set of bowls as decided by the Controlling Body.
The Controlling Body will also decide the order in which the players will play their bowls as follows.
- If each player is playing four bowls:
- the leads will play their four bowls followed by the skips playing their four bowls;
- the leads will play two of their bowls, followed by the skips playing two of their bowls, followed by the leads playing their final two bowls, followed by the skips playing their final two bowls; or
- in the first end and every following odd-numbered end, the leads will play two of their bowls, followed by the skips playing their four bowls, followed by the leads playing their final two bowls. In the second end and every following even-numbered end, the skips will play two of their bowls, followed by the leads playing their four bowls, followed by the skips playing their final two bowls.
- If each player is playing two or three bowls:
- the leads will play all their bowls, followed by skips playing all their bowls.
|
14.3 |
Triples game |
| |
A Triples game should be played by two opposing teams, each with three players. Players should play singly and in turn either two or three of a set of bowls as decided by the Controlling Body. |
| |
|
14.4 |
Fours game |
| |
A Fours game should be played by two opposing teams, each with four players. Players should play singly and in turn two of a set of bowls. |
| |
|
14.5 |
Side game |
| |
A side game should be played by two opposing sides, each with the same number of teams or Singles players (or a combination of teams and Singles players). |
14.6 |
A series of games |
| |
Games in a series should be arranged to be played on several occasions as:
- an ordered series of games organised as a knockout (eliminating) competition and arranged as Singles, Pairs, Triples or Fours; or
- an ordered series of side games organised as either a league competition or a knockout (eliminating) competition.
|
14.7 |
A tournament of games |
| |
| 1 |
Singles games and team games can be arranged into sections (or groups) as a tournament of games in which the contestants either:
- play each other in turn;
- play as paired-off teams of players; or
- play in line with any other format decided by the Controlling Body.
|
| 2 |
The games can be played on one or several greens in line with a common timetable. |
|
| |
|
15 |
Sets play |
| |
|
15.1 |
Format of play |
| |
| 1 |
Competitions played in the sets format should consist of sectional play, knockout (eliminating) play or a combination of both. |
| 2 |
Each game should be played over the better of two sets, with each set consisting of nine ends or any other format agreed beforehand by the Controlling Body. |
| 3 |
The winner of a set will be the player or team with the highest number of shots when the ninth end is completed. |
| 4 |
If the shot scores are tied after the ninth end of a set, the set will be a draw. |
| 5 |
During sectional play, all nine ends of a set should be completed. |
| 6 |
During knockout play, there should be no further play in a set if, at any point, it becomes impossible for one player or team to draw or win the set, given the number of ends left. |
|
15.2 |
Tie-breaker |
| |
| 1 |
If the game is tied after the two sets have been completed
(each player or team having won one set or both sets
having been drawn), a tie-breaker consisting of three
ends should be played to decide the winner.
|
| 2 |
The winner of the tie-breaker will be the player or
team with the highest number of shots when the third
end is completed.
|
| 3 |
There should be no further play in the tie-breaker if, at any point, it becomes impossible for one player or team to draw or win the tie-breaker, given the number of ends left. |
| 4 |
If the shot scores are tied after the third
end of the tie-breaker, the players or teams should play
a fourth tie-breaker end to decide the winner. |
| 5 |
If the fourth end of a tie-breaker is a tied end, the players or teams will play more tie-breaker ends until a winner is found. |
|
15.3 |
Winners of sectional play |
| |
| 1 |
Points will be awarded as follows.
- Two game points will be awarded for each game won. No game points are awarded for any game lost.
- One set point will be awarded for each set won. A half set point will be awarded for each set drawn. No set points are awarded for any set lost. (The tie-breaker is not a set.)
- If a game is forfeited, the non-offending player or team will be awarded two game points, two set points and a net total of shots that is equal to the average net total of shots scored by the winners of all other games played in the same round of the same section.
|
| 2 |
Section winners will be decided as follows.
- Highest number of game points scored.
- If game points are equal, the player or team with the highest number of sets won.
- If game points and sets won are equal, the player or team with the highest net total of set points over all games in the section.
- If game points, sets won and net totals of set points are equal, the player or team with the highest net total of shots over all games in the section (not including tie-breaker ends).
- If game points, sets won, net totals of set points and net totals of shots are equal, the player or team that won the game between the players or teams that are equal.
|
|
15.4 |
First to play |
| |
| 1 |
First set: the skips or opponents in Singles should toss a coin and the winner of the toss has the options described in law 18.2.2. |
| 2 |
Second set: the winner of the first set has the options described in law 18.4. If the first set is a draw, the winner of the last scoring end in that set has the options described in law 18.4. |
| 3 |
First, fourth and any further ends of a tie-breaker: the skips or opponents in Singles should toss a coin and the winner of the toss has the options described in law 18.2.2. |
| 4 |
In all ends after the first in each set (including tie-breaker ends), the winner of the previous scoring end has the options described in law 18.4. If, however, the first end of the first set or the first end of a tie-breaker is a tied end, the first to play in that end should also play first in the second end of the first set or the second end of the tie-breaker. |
|
15.5 |
Re-spotting the jack |
| |
| 1 |
If a jack in motion passes completely outside the boundaries of the rink of play, or rebounds to a distance of less than 20 metres from the mat line, the end should not be declared dead. Instead, the jack should be placed with the nearest point of the jack to the mat line at the appropriate spot described in paragraphs 2, 3, 4 and 5 below, and play should continue. |
| 2 |
If the jack passes outside the side boundary on the right of the rink, it should be placed with the nearest point of the jack to the mat line at a spot on the rink which is 2 metres from the front ditch and 1.5 metres to the right of the centre line. |
| 3 |
If the jack passes outside the side boundary on the left of the rink, it should be placed with the nearest point of the jack to the mat line at a spot on the rink which is 2 metres from the front ditch and 1.5 metres to the left of the centre line. |
| 4 |
If the jack passes over the face of the bank, it should be placed with the nearest point of the jack to the mat line at a spot on the rink which is 2 metres from the front ditch and on the centre line. |
| 5 |
If the jack rebounds to a distance of less than 20 metres from the mat line, it should be placed:
- with the nearest point of the jack to the mat line at the appropriate spot described in paragraphs 2 and 3 above; or
- with the nearest point of the jack to the mat line at the spot described in paragraph 4 above if it comes to rest on the centre line.
|
| 6 |
If any of the spots mentioned in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 above are partly or completely covered by a bowl, the jack should be placed with the nearest point of the jack to the mat line at a spot which is 0.5 metres further from the front ditch than the spot that has been covered. (If that spot is also partly or completely covered by a bowl, the jack should be placed at a spot which is 0.5 metres further from the front ditch than the spot that has been partly or completely covered.) |
| 7 |
The spots mentioned in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 above should be marked using chalk or some other suitable method (see diagram 3.1 in appendix B.2). Further spots, which are needed to meet the terms of paragraph 6 above, can also be marked using chalk or some other suitable method (see diagram 3.2 in appendix B.2). |
|
| |
|
16 |
Formats of play |
| |
|
16.1 |
World events and Commonwealth Games |
| |
| 1 |
Singles will be 21 shots (shots scored over 21 will not be counted), sets play or any other format decided beforehand by WB. Four bowls will be played, with each player playing in turn. |
| 2 |
Pairs will be 18 ends, sets play or any other format decided beforehand by WB. Two, three or four bowls can be played, with each player playing in turn. |
| 3 |
Triples will be 18 ends, sets play or any other format decided beforehand by WB. Two or three bowls can be played, with each player playing in turn. |
| 4 |
Fours will be 18 ends, sets play or any other format decided beforehand by WB. Two bowls should be played, with each player playing in turn. |
| 5 |
Changing the programme
The Controlling Body has the power to alter or amend the programme of the Championship as it considers necessary or appropriate if the weather or other conditions are unsuitable. The Controlling Body can also suspend play temporarily in any game or abandon any game, and it can also alter any of the conditions of its programme if it decides that this is essential to successfully carry out or finish the Championship. |
|
16.2 |
International events |
| |
| 1 |
Singles will be 21 shots (shots scored over 21 will not be counted), sets play or any other format agreed beforehand by WB. Four bowls will be played, with each player playing in turn. |
| 2 |
Pairs will be 18 ends, sets play or any other format agreed beforehand by WB. Two, three or four bowls can be played, with each player playing in turn. |
| 3 |
Triples will be 18 ends, sets play or any other format agreed beforehand by WB. Two or three bowls can be played, with each player playing in turn. |
| 4 |
Fours will be 18 ends, sets play or any other format agreed beforehand by WB. Two bowls should be played, with each player playing in turn. |
| 5 |
The formats of play for Singles, Pairs, Triples and Fours which are played as part of a side game will be the same as those described in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 above as appropriate. |
| 6 |
For indoor play, there can be a time limit on play. The Controlling Body will decide the time limit before the game begins. If the time limit is reached while an end is in progress, the game will stop when that end is finished or when the pre-arranged number of shots or ends (described in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 above) has been played, whichever happens first. |
| 7 |
Changing the programme
The Controlling Body has the power to alter or amend the programme of the Championship as it considers necessary or appropriate if the weather or other conditions are unsuitable or, in the case of indoor play, if there is a power failure and the lighting is affected. The Controlling Body can also suspend play temporarily in any game or abandon any game, and it can also alter any of the conditions of its programme if it decides that this is essential to successfully carry out or finish the Championship. |
|
16.3 |
Domestic events |
| |
The formats of play for Singles, Pairs, Triples, Fours and side games will be decided by the Controlling Body. |
| |
|
17 |
Regulations for play |
| |
|
17.1 |
Domestic regulations |
| |
| 1 |
For domestic play, Member National Authorities can make regulations (‘domestic regulations’) to cover the following aspects of the sport:
- the use of synthetic surfaces (see law 2.4);
- standards for greens constructed in line with previous editions of the Laws of the Sport of Bowls (see law 2.5);
- standards for the minimum width of a rink (see law 5.1);
- standards for boundary pegs made in line with previous editions of the Laws of the Sport of Bowls (see law 5.5);
- requirements for thin black vertical lines to mark the centres of boundary pegs that are fixed to the face of the bank of an outdoor green or fixed on the top of the bank of either an outdoor or an indoor green (see law 5.5);
- the use of boundary threads (see law 5.9);
- distinguishing marks on bowls (see law 8.1.5);
- re-testing and re-stamping bowls (see law 8.2.3);
- the deposit to be paid when a challenge to bowls is lodged (see law 8.3.4);
- requirements for the stamps on bowls (see law 9.5);
- requirements for playing on the same rink on the day of a competition or game (see law 12.4);
- re-spotting the jack in formats of play other than sets play (see law 15.5);
- the use of a scoreboard instead of one of the score cards (see law 37.3.2);
- artificial devices for delivering the jack or a bowl (see law 38.5);
- substitute players (see law 51.9);
- colours for footwear and the types of sole (see appendix A.2); and
- colours and types of clothing, including bowling gloves (see appendix A.3).
|
| 2 |
If there is no domestic regulation to cover a specific aspect of the sport listed in paragraph 1 above, all games will be played in line with the Laws of the Sport of Bowls. |
| 3 |
Member National Authorities should give a copy of their domestic regulations to all divisions and clubs within their authority. |
|
17.2 |
Conditions of Play |
| |
Controlling Bodies should decide what Conditions of Play are necessary to govern their competitions, but all Conditions of Play should be in line with the requirements described in appendix A.1. |
| |
|
|
|
