OSWESTRY & DISTRICT BOWLING LEAGUE
1. NAME
The League shall be called The Oswestry and District Bowling League. If a sponsor shall be found for the League then the name may be changed to include the name of the sponsor.
2. LEAGUE OFFICERS
There shall be a President, Chairperson, Treasurer, General Secretary, Competition Secretary and Fixture Secretary, the first four of whom will also be League Trustees. The Chairperson shall be elected every two years. Other League Officers shall be elected annually. Any two League Officers may be signatories to the League cheques.
3. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The Committee of Management shall consist of the above together with a Committee of upto nine, three of whom shall retire annually and being eligible may stand for re-election. Members are required to attend 70% of League meetings.
4. LEAGUE MEMBERSHIP
Applications for membership shall be made before the 31st December each year. All Clubs wishing to retain membership of the League to make application in writing by letter or email before the 31st December each year stating the number of teams they wish to enter. All teams, without exception, must be able and willing to play their League fixtures on the nights designated by the League and shown in the League fixtures for the coming season. Divisions shall be limited to 12 (twelve) teams of 8 (eight) players. If teams need to move their games i.e. for clubs without floodlights, then this must be mutually agreed between Captains and the Fixture secretary informed.
5. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
(5.1) The Annual General Meeting will be held during the month of February each year.
(5.2) Notices of motion for consideration at the Annual General Meeting shall be submitted in writing by letter or email to the Secretary not later than the 31st December.
(5.3) Clubs may send as many representatives to the Annual General Meeting as they desire but only 1(one) vote per Club will be allowed.
(5.4) Any club failing to send a representative to the Annual General Meeting shall be fined £10. Fines should be directed to the League Treasurer.
6. FINANCE
(6.1) The membership fee shall be set annually by the Management Committee and each Club shall be affiliated to The Shropshire County Bowling Association. New Clubs will be required to pay the sum of £25 in addition, in advance against the season’s dues. Affiliation fees to be paid by 1 May each year. Late payments will result in a £10 fine. Clubs who have not paid their affiliation fees by the start of the season will not be allowed to play.
(6.2) All invoices to be paid to the League Treasurer within 14 days of receipt of the account. Fees due to the County Association to be paid to the County Treasurer in accordance with their rules.
(6.3) No club or player indebted to The Shropshire County Bowling Association shall be eligible to play in the League fixtures or competitions.
(6.4) In order to augment League Funds, each club when playing in a League match shall pay 70 pence per player per game to a person appointed by their Club. The total should be paid to the League Treasurer within 14 (fourteen) days of receipt of an account from the Treasurer.
(6.5) A financial penalty can be applied to Clubs withdrawing a team/s after 31st December and prior to the start of the season. The penalty can be up to 50% of match fees to be applied at the discretion of the Management Committee.
(6.6) Any clubs which fail to make their payment within the designated timescale of 14 (fourteen) days shall be liable for a fixed penalty payment of £10.
7. LEAGUE MATCHES
(7.1) All clubs must register online all players to their designated teams not less than 7 (seven) days before the first match of the season. Any new or additional players thereafter can be added to the appropriate team list online prior to playing their first match. The League Secretary must be made aware of any new players registered or where the application has been made. All registrations must show the British Crown Green registration number. Failure to comply may result in the game being awarded 21-0 to the opponent. Initially no player shall be allowed to register for more than one club and one team per season. Players may only be transferred to another club in exceptional circumstances with the permission of the Management Committee.
(7.2) Where a player is a member of more than one club the individual shall not play on the green used by a club of which they are not a registered playing member of the league a clear 1 (one) day before the match or League competition on that club’s green. In the case of League Competitions, League fixtures are excepted.
(7.3) Any player, who plays in the current season with a team in the Shropshire Premier League can only play for their club’s most senior team in the Oswestry & District Bowling League
(7.4) Each game shall be marked by a representative from each team. Markers shall sit together and check cards every 4 (four) ends during the game.
(7.5) League Teams must have a tape of a minimum of 20 (twenty) metres. All jacks played in League matches must be maintained in accordance with BCGBA law.
(7.6) The Captains of each team shall act as referees. Each team shall appoint a measurer, standard measures to be used.
(7.7) The decision as to whether a green is fit to play due to weather or other conditions shall be with the home team. Should the green be declared unfit every effort must be made by the home team to inform their visitors in sufficient time to avoid an unnecessary journey. The fixtures secretary is to be informed asap.
(7.8) All Clubs to play at least 4 (four) jacks at all times in League matches and competitions.
(7.9) All matches to commence at 7 pm, except as stated below. At least four pairs to be on the green at the starting time. Immediately a game is completed a fresh pair to be put on, so that at no time shall the green be occupied by less than 4 (four) pairs. Ten minutes shall be allowed to comply with this rule. The draw shall be made by the home team captain writing name and numbers on the cards and pacing them face down in two random blocks first and second four. The away team capgtain will then place his/her un-numbrered cards on top, the cards will then be turned over to give the match pairings and the away team captain will mirror the numbers from the home team.. No player who is not present shall be included in the first four. No alteration shall be made to the playing order after the draw is completed. The visiting team players shall have first delivery of the jack. Where the first two and last four matches of the season are to be played on greens that do not have floodlights, those matches are to commence as follows: Weeks 1, 2, 19 & 20 at 6.30pm and Weeks 21 and 22 at 6.15pm.
(7.9.1)
In the lowest division of the Oswestry & District Bowling League, away teams are allowed ten (10) minutes practice before the start of the game.
(7.10) It will be the responsibility of the home team to collate the results following the game. Both captains should sign the results sheet directly following the game and it is the responsibility of the home team captain to enter and retain the sheet for reference. The results should be entered on-line onto the league’s website within 24 hours of the completion of the match, it will then be the away team captain’s responsibility to check the result on-line and to verify as correct. Non-compliance with this rule could entail the loss of a match point for each offence after consideration by the Committee.
(7.11) Any Club running more than one team may use a player from a lower division to assist a team in a higher division four times during the season without that player losing the lower division status; a player can only play four times in any one season for a team in a higher division other than the team of original registration. After assisting any senior team on five occasions that player shall have the status of the most senior team played for on a borrowed basis and shall no longer be eligible to play for the junior team. No player may play for more than one team in the same division of the League in any one season except as provided for in Rule 11.1 (Transfer). No player may play for more than one team on any given day.
(7.11.1) In the event of the lowest or only team of a club (from Division 4 and lower), being unable to field a full team for a match, captains can allow players to play a second game.
Where a club has more than one team in the same division (4 or lower only), and doesn’t have a lower ranked team to pick from, to help field a full team, both or all those teams can allow up to 2 players to play a second game.
The captain shall place 4 cards face down with the names of players who are prepared to play twice. The opposing captain will select one card and that player will be expected to play for a second time. If more than one player is required, then the opposing captain shall continue to select cards from the remaining placed cards. This is restricted to 2 players in total. Players playing for a second time must start in the first four and play again in the last four. Their opposing player has the right to have a practice on the green for up to 5 minutes. The points scored by the player(s) in their second game will not count towards their individual records, only the teams total. Six points will be deducted from the total aggregate of the match for each player who has played twice.
Note 1 – the home captain entering the results, will be able to select the players twice.
Note 2 – players opting to play twice in one match must have played 50% of their games for their team to date. This will be monitored by the fixtures secretary and failure to comply will result in the match being declared a walk over.
Note 3 – the individual players score from their second game will not count in their individual averages.
(7.12) All matches must be played on the original fixture date, unless mutually agreed between the 2 captains. If a match date is changed the fixture secretary must be informed and the rearranged game must be arranged within 14 days with a date in which the game will be played after consultation with the Fixture Secretary Should teams fail to make such arrangements they must submit to the League secretary the reasons and the Committee shall have the power to deduct points if thought fit. Where a club fails to field a complete team that team shall lose the aggregate 21-0 for each player short. Where a club runs more than one team, the senior team, must use players from a lower division team. Teams must never use the excuse of not having enough players available to fulfil a fixture, they must turn up with what players they can muster and lose the game they fail to play 21-0. Any clubs failing to comply with the above could be subject to a penalty fine of £10 issued at the discretion of the Committee.
(7.13) Any team fielding an ineligible player shall forfeit 2 (two) league points, the score to be recorded 21-0 in favour of the eligible player who shall also take the individual point. In the event of any team not attending to play a match without reasonable excuse, such teams will be dealt with by the Management Committee and may be fined a sum not exceeding £20. Any fine imposed will be awarded to the offended club. Should a team fail to make proper arrangements to play the game, then the Management Committee shall name a date the game will be played.
(7.14) There shall be 10 (ten) points awarded per match. One point for each individual winner with 2 (two) points to the team winning on aggregate. In the event of a tie on aggregate each team will receive 1(one) point in addition to the individual points gained by the team. The team with the highest number of points at the end of the season to be declared winners. Aggregate to count in the event of a draw on points.
(7.15) In the event of a suspension owing to inclement weather or floodlight failure or any other unforeseen circumstances, the points scored by each player shall stand and the position of the jack shall be marked. Ends should be completed if possible. Games should be re-started from an agreed point as near as possible to where the jack lay at the last end played. Games are to be re-arranged and played within 14 (fourteen) days.
Where individual games that have started and then been suspended, neither player may practice on the green within one hour of the resumption of the game on the re-arranged date. This only applies to matches that had been started but not finished.
(7.16) All League matches and competitions are to be played in accordance with the Laws of the British Crown Green Bowling Association.
(7.17) All team players MUST wear flat shoes, and team captains must ensure that their team members comply. Any player not complying with this Rule will not be permitted to participate. This Rule also applies to League competitions.
8. PRESENTATION EVENING
(8.1) Trophies shall be awarded to the winners of each division of the League and League Competitions on Presentation evening. All perpetual trophies to be returned to the Competition Secretary at the following Annual General Meeting. Any perpetual trophy which is lost or damaged will be required to be paid for by the club or player concerned, this may include engraving costs.
(8.2) Any Club or individual having won a cash prize but failing to send a representative from that Club to the presentation evening to collect such prize, shall forfeit it. Any amounts so forfeited shall be credited to the League Funds under the heading "Forfeited Prizes". Amounts so credited may be used at the Committee's discretion to augment prizes in the following seasons. This Rule shall in no way affect the award of trophies, but only the cash prizes allocated to them.
(8.3) In the event of the League ceasing to exist, all trophies shall be returned to the Trustees.
9. GENERAL
(9.1) Any protest must be made within 7 (seven) days of the match and endorsed by the secretary of the Club concerned and accompanied by a fee of £20.00 which may be returned if the protest is upheld, or at the discretion of the Committee.
(9.2) No member of a Club shall be allowed to play for another Club unless the individual has paid their obligation to the previous Club.
(9.3) Promotion and relegation between each division shall be 2 (two) up and 2 (two) down. Circumstances dictating otherwise to be dealt with by the Committee.
(9.4) Any matter arising during the season which is not covered in the above Rules shall be dealt with by the Management Committee, whose decision shall be final.