Yorkshire County Leagues Rules 2018/2019 Season

 

1.    Each club will be represented by four rinks( fours) and matches will be played with two rinks playing at home and two rinks playing away.

 

2.   Dress for all matches will be whites with white, brown, or grey shoes. Approved club coloured shirts may also be worn.

 

3.   Sponsors stickers should be used on all bowls for league matches.

 

4.   All matches will be of 21 ends except where indicated in RULE 13.

 

5.   Players who have membership with more than one club will only be eligible to play in the league for "their principle club". The principle club shall be the club that they have entered their National Competitions from, or the club they declare as their principle club before the commencement of the 1st league match. In addition, no player who has entered National Competitions from a club in another County may play in the league. Any club found to be in breach of this rule may be liable to suspension from the league.

 

6.   For clubs that have two teams in the league, a player who has PLAYED 3 TIMES for his clubs 1st team (i.e. the 1st team is the one not defined by the letter "B" after the club's name) cannot play in the 2nd team again in that season.

 

7.   In all matches except the play-offs two points will be awarded for each winning rink, and six points for the overall winning aggregate total. This gives a maximum of 14 points available for each match. In drawn games, the aggregate points will be shared.

 

8.  At the end of the season when all matches have been completed the two teams in Division 1 who finish in the two bottom positions will be relegated to Division 2. The teams that finish in positions 1 and 2 in Division 2 will be promoted to Division 1. The two teams that finish in bottom two positions in Division 2 will be relegated to Division 3. The teams that finish in positions 1 and 2 in Division 3 will be promoted to Division 2.

 

9.  The position of teams in the league will be determined by the number of points accumulated in the season. In the event of one or more teams finishing equal on points, shot difference will be taken into account. If that does not resolve the situation, then the result of the match played between the clubs involved will determine the relevant position in the league table.

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10.  In each match the home club has the right to choose the two rinks to be used, and at each venue the away captain will draw for the rinks to be used by the opponents.

 

11.   Matches will be played on Saturdays on dates specified by the County Calendar, but may be played on the Sunday of the same weekend (without incurring a default) if mutually agreed between the two clubs involved. If agreement cannot be reached the match must be played on the original date.

 

12.  The normal starting time for matches is 12 noon on the dates given in the list of fixtures. Any other start time can be used by mutual agreement between the clubs involved, but matches should commence at the same time at both venues unless this is totally impracticable.

 

13.  If the start of the match at either venue is delayed because of the late arrival of players, both rinks at that venue where there is a delay will start at the same time. Effort should always be made to play the full 21 ends, but where for any reason that is not possible then completion of as many ends within the time available should be played and the scores at the end of time will count as the final result at the venue.

 

14.  If clubs wish to change the date of a match completely they may do so by mutual agreement, but they must inform the League Secretary immediately of the new date.

 

15.  All matches including those that are re-arranged must be completed by the date of the last match in any season as defined by the league fixture. 

Only at the discretion of the Executive Committee and in exceptional circumstances can any match be played after the last league match in any season.

 

16.  Green fees will be paid by the home club at each venue.

 

17.  If a club cancels a match for any reason, they must inform the League Secretary immediately. The club that cancels the match will automatically be deducted 10 points. A cancelled match will be counted as a default by the club who has cancelled the match.

 

18.  The non offending club must within 7 days of the date of the cancelled match offer two dates to the defaulting club and the defaulting club must accept one of the dates offered. Failure to offer two dates within seven days will also incur a default and the responsibility for re-arranging the match will revert back to the originating defaulting club who must offer 2 dates within the next seven days. The League Secretary must be informed of the re-arranged date immediately it has been agreed.

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19.  Failure to re-arrange a match and play it within the time limits (Rule 14) will also count as default.

 

20.  Clubs who have re-arranged a match must seven days prior to the new date contact each other and confirm the date and time of the re-arranged match.

 

21.   If a match cannot be re-arranged because a genuine dispute exists then the League Secretary must be notified as soon as possible. In that circumstance, the Executive Committee will set a date for the match to be played. In the event of one team defaulting on the date set by the Executive Committee the other team will be awarded 14 points, but no shot difference

 

22.  If a club defaults on two or more matches in a season then all of their matches played in that season will become void and the points gained by their opponents will also be cancelled. The defaulting club will be suspended from the competition for a period of one year commencing from the beginning of the following season that date being the date of Annual General Meeting.

 

23.  A suspended club wishing to seek re-election to the competition must apply in writing to the League Secretary in advance of the beginning of the next season. If the application for re-instatement is successful the club will re-enter the league at it's lowest division.

 

24.  Any club wishing to lodge a complaint about a particular match should do so by contacting the League Secretary within 48 hours of the completion of the match.

 

25.Subject to the above Rules all matches will be played under the World Indoor Bowls Council Laws of the Sport of Bowls.

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