1. THE LEAGUE
A) The league shall be known as the
MALVERN MENS SKITTLES LEAGUE. The league name can be changed at any time when
felt necessary by the Management Committee and use the name or logo of any
sponsor of the league.
B) The league shall consist of teams
that must usually play either from clubs or licensed premises within a five
mile radius from the POST OFFICE BELLE VUE TERRACE MALVERN. However, the
league shall accept teams from venues outside the present radius provided it is
approved by the majority of other existing league teams.
C) The league shall be governed by
the Management Committee which shall consist of the following; Chairman,
Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, League Secretary, Fixtures Secretary, Results secretary
and four Committee Members. The Management Committee shall also has the power to co-opt additional members as and when
required for any specific purpose.
D) All elected officers and
committee members are required to be full bona-fide members of the league by
being elected and should any officer/committee member cease to be a signed
member of a team, then he will automatically be removed from office.
E) All officers will serve a period
of two years, elected alternate years to maintain continuity. (In the
event of an officer leaving or standing down in the middle of his term of
office, the incoming officer will take his place in the election order.)
Committee members (numbering four) will be elected/re-elected each year. All elections to take place at the Annual General Meeting.
2. MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEAGUE
A) Membership of the league starts
from the AGM for a period of twelve months.
B) New teams seeking election to the
league must apply in writing to the League Secretary one month prior to the
Annual General Meeting , their application shall
include the annual subscription fee in full.
Representatives of teams shall be
available to meet the Management Committee if they are required to do so.
Futhermore teams applying to the league playing from an alley not previously
used in the league should be prepared to have the playing area inspected for
suitability by the Management Committee. Inclusion into the league will
only be acceptable to teams fulfilling those stipulations laid down by the
league.
C) All teams whether new or seeking
re-election will be ratified by the A.G.M.
D) New team applications not
accepted by the A.G.M. will have all monies returned.
E) Failure to pay those
subscriptions in force or any fines by the A.G.M. may lead to the team
concerned not being accepted into the league.
F) The annual subscription in force
shall cover the cost of both team and players
registration, provision of result sheets, fixture/rule book and entrance into
all competitions.
G) Any team having been accepted
into the league which fails to fulfill its obligations after entry/re-entry
before the season has commenced, then ALL FEES PAID are subsequently forfeited.
H) INSURANCE. Teams will be
responsible for their own insurance.
I) REGISTRATION. Any player must be registered
with the league at least 48 hours prior to any league or K.O. game to make him
eligible (see rule 14 for exemptions).
J) Having once signed for one team,
a player is not eligible to play for any other team in the league unless he is
officially transfered.
3. THE MATCH
A) All league matches shall comprise
of teams of NINE players all aged 14 years or over. (Reserve numbers at
the discretion of each team.) A maximum of THREE junior players may be
registered with each team and date of birth entered on the registration
form. A junior player must be under 16 by the 31st August of that season.
In the event of a team being unable to play a reserve or reserves, that team
shall only be able to compete in the match provided that they have a minimum of
seven players. If a team cannot field the minimum number of players, the
opposing team shall be awarded the match, scoring an 11
points to nil win. At no time during any match will children under the age of
14 years be allowed onto the alley, failure to comply with this ruling may
nullify any insurance cover.
B) STARTING TIME. All league
games will start no later than 8.45pm prompt. The time of commencement
will be noted on the results sheet which in turn shall be signed by both
captains. Late starts must be reported to the Management Committee and if
they do not accept the reason given a fine which will be decided by the
Management Committee will be imposed on the offending team.
C) LATE ARRIVALS. A players position may be left open until the third leg
whereupon he must bowl legs 1 and 2 before commencement of the third leg.
All following legs must be bowled at his correct position according to the
score board. If the missing player fails to arrive by the commencement of
the third leg then his place must be immediately taken by a reserve who will
bowl his first two legs and then all other legs in his correct position.
All players must be on the alley to bowl in order and without delay for legs 3,
4 and 5, unless a bowl off is agreed.
In the event of a captain being
unable to play a reserve that team will play one man short and the facts noted
on the result sheet. Players leaving the alley after starting bowling do
so at the discretion of both captains. No player may bowl off without the
permission of the opposing captain. Matches that require an extra leg to
be bowled off and there is a player who has already bowled off shall not be
allowed to participate in the 6th and additional legs.
D)FIXTURE DATES. All league games must be completed before the final League match date. If a team fails to play the match on dates offered by the opposing team or set by the management committee the opposing team shall be awarded the match scoring 11 points to nil win.
E) ABANDONED MATCHES. In the
event of circumstances beyond the control of teams, e.g. power failure, fire,
flooding, etc. which causes a match to be abandoned then the whole match shall
be re-arranged by mutual agreement within 14 days or before the end of the
season whichever is shorter. If not possible the League Secretary's
approval to the re-arranged date must be sort.
F) PIN OFF THE PLATE. If a pin
is moved by a ball or another pin so that it is clear of the plate, but is
still standing, that pin is considered down and therefore must be removed from
the diamond.
4. COMPETITION MATCHES
A) All competition matches are to be
played on the scheduled date. In the event of a team being unable to fulfil the fixture, the game will be awarded to the
opposing team. The team that are unable to fulfil the fixture shall be responsible for notifying the
oppositions captain/delegate, fixture secretary and the stated venue of the
match without delay.
B) All alleys are to supply a kit in
reasonable order.
C) In the knockout stages of all
competitions the bowling order shall be as drawn out. Should there be a
tie in any match after five legs then an extra leg (or legs) shall be bowled to
decide the winner, bowling order to be as originally drawn.
D) All persons and teams who fail to
fulfill their respective competition matches without prior notification to the
fixture secretary of at least 48 hours may be suspended from that competition
for a period of one season. The management committee's decision shall be final.
E) Trophies presented on
presentation evening will become the responsibility of the team or individual
they are presented to. Teams failing to attend presentation evening will
receive no trophies. Failure to return any trophy to the league will result in
the team or individual being asked to replace the said trophy.
5. KING PIN MATCHES
The king pin (front pin) is to be
floored by a direct delivery by a ball first before scoring. If the king
pin is floored by any other means then it is to be re-set, any other pins
floored before the king pin has been struck shall by lost by the player.
Once the king pin has been struck by a ball and all pins floored (spare) the
remaining ball or balls need not strike the king pin first. If a player
is no-balled, only the King Pin shall be re-set (if floored). Should the
king pin re-stand within the diamond after being struck by the ball first is
shall be deemed to have been floored and therefore be removed.
KING PIN CUP COMPETITION
All matches to be played on neutral alleys. A handicap system will operate in this competition based on the previous seasons league positions, 1 pin will be awarded to the lower team for every place below. No handicaps will be awarded to the teams playing in the league for the first season. Handicaps will be printed in the handbook. All handicaps should be added on to the first leg totals.
6. KEN BAKER CUP
A handicap system will operate in
this competition based on the following: Division 1 scratch, Division 2 five
pins and Division 3 ten pins (including new teams). All handicaps should
be added on to the first leg totals. The first stage of this competition
will be a round robin system. All teams will be drawn at random into 8
groups for the round robin stage. The group winners will progress to the
quarter-finals which will become a knockout competition played on neutral
alleys with the final played at West Malvern R.B.L.
The group positions will be
determined by the same points system as used for normal league matches, 6
points for a win, 3 points for a draw and 1 point for each leg won no points
for tied legs. Handicaps are not to be included to decide the outcome of
the points on the first leg. If two or more teams are equal on points at
the end of the group matches the higher position will be taken by the team that
has scored the most pins (including handicaps) in the matches involving those
sides.
7. ROSEBOWL
To qualify for this competition
teams must compete in both of the main cup competitions (King Pin Cup and Ken
Baker Cup). Those teams that fail to make the quarter-finals of either of
the main cup competitions shall be eligible to enter the Rosebowl. A team
that withdraws from any cup competitions will be excluded from the Rosebowl.
No handicaps will be used in this competition.
8. FOURS COMPETITION
Players must be registered with there parent team, and can only sign for one team. All teams to have a nominated captain. There will be no limit to number of team that enter the competition. Team names must include the parent team name. All fines will be the responsibility of the parent team. All teams that loose the first round will automatically be entered into a plate competition. Two matches played per night 8.30 & 9.15 start times (rules 3 & 4 will apply in all other circumstances)
8. ALLEY, LINE, PINS AND BALLS
(Recommended by
the league.)
A) THE ALLEY / LINE. Each team
is responsible for finding its own alley and kit.
The distance between the 8cms wide
bowling line and the king (front) pin shall be a minimum of 880cms and no
longer than 1100cms.
The alley width shall be no wider
than 185cms and the diamond no more than 125cms across. For all new
alleys the minimum width should be 170cms and the diamond no less than
115cms. The diamond shall be clearly defined with plates securely fixed
to the alley or spots painted.
It is also recommended that the
alley and pins be well lit and clean at all times.
B) THE PINS. Nine pins of
uniform size to be painted 4cms wide around the top. The king (front) pin
in addition to have a 4cms white stripe from top to bottom, which should face
the bowler. The quarter pins will be numbered 1 and 2 respectively.
All pins to be set on the centre of the plate.
C) THE BALLS. Balls of either
wood or tufnul composition (not rubber) should not exceed 14cms in
diameter. No more than one set of three balls shall be in the trough at
the start of the game. The home team shall be required to supply the pins
and balls, the exception being when matches are played on neutral alleys, when
the Management Committee will recommend whose team kit shall be used.
9. LINESMAN
All King Pin Competition matches
must have linesmen. All league and other non King Pin matches shall have
linesmen unless both Captains agree not to appoint them. In the event
that either Captain does not agree, then linesmen will be required to sit the
line. The linesman will be responsible for calling all 'over' and '
10. STICKER UP
Each team to provide their own
sticker up for both home and away matches and he shall be employed on the alley
for the duration of the game and shall be responsible for calling correct
scores. This is of the utmost importance especially for matches played
under King Pin rules. In the event of any dispute the linesman should be
consulted and both captains. All stickers up must be registered with the
league for their representative teams and the minimum age of such a person is
to be 14 years. There is to be a maximum of two stickers up only allowed
in the pit area at all times during a match.
11. LEAGUE POSITION
Six points are awarded for a win,
three points for a draw and one bonus point for the team that scores the
highest total on each leg. Should there be a tie on points for any league
position at the end of the season; the team that has won the most league games
during the season shall claim the higher position.
Teams will be automatically entered
into the King Pin and Ken Baker competitions.
Normal promotion or relegation
within the league will be two up and two down. Where there is necessity
to deviate from the norm due to teams leaving or new teams entering the league,
the league Management Committee will decide the promotion and relegation requirements
in order to maintain, as far as possible an equal number of teams in each
division.
12. RESULT SHEETS
All result sheets MUST be received
by the Results Secretary within 48 hours of the match being played. The
home team in league matches and Ken Baker Cup group matches and the winning team in all Knock-Out stages of competitions matches are
responsible for forwarding the result sheet.
Teams failing to return result
sheets within the above specified time shall be fined a monetary fine and /or points deduction. It is therefore recommended that
teams use the first class mail system.
Both team representatives who sign
the Result Sheet are responsible for ensuring that it is filled in completely
and correctly. The management committee may impose a monetary fine and/or points deduction on both team representatives. Any fines
awarded must be paid within 28 days.
13. TRANSFER OF PLAYERS
A player may transfer from one team
to another when the following procedure has been completed.
A) Notify his current captain of his
intentions.
B) The said player to obtain a
transfer form, from the League Secretary.
C) This is to be completed by the
player and signed by both team secretaries or
captains.
D) The completed form to be returned
to the League Secretary together with the monetary transfer fee.
Only when the transfer form has been
in the hands of the League Secretary for seven days will the player concerned
by eligible to play for his new team.
No transfers to take place after
31st December each year. However no restriction will be made for signing new
players after this date .Any difficulties arising as a result of transfers /
signings will be the subject of a Management Committee ruling and
decision. Any transferred player who shall have played in any league cup
competition for his first signed team shall be considered 'cup tied' for that
competition.
14. BANNED PLAYERS
Any player(s) banned from playing in
the MALVERN MENS SKITTLES LEAGUE may, at the discretion of the Management
Committee have their name(s) forwarded to all local skittles leagues so that
any action considered necessary may be taken.
15. INELIGIBLE PLAYERS
This is defined as being any player
who is not properly registered / transfered or someone who is using an assumed
name.
In the event of a team playing an
ineligible player that team shall be declared the loser and 11 points shall be
awarded to their opponents. Any defaulting team shall be summoned to a
Management Disciplinary Committee Meeting to explain their actions.
16. DELEGATES
Teams failing to send a delegate to
a delegates meeting shall be fined a monetary fine.
Any acts of ungentlemanly conduct
taking place during or as a result of a skittles match, whether reported
directly to the Management Committee, either verbally or in writing shall be
investigated immediately by the Committee. Any such act(s) shall be
considered prejudicial to the good name of skittles and in particular the
MALVERN MENS SKITTLES LEAGUE, any guilty teams will therefore be dealt with
firmly.
Any player(s) subsequently summoned
before the Management Committee, failing to appear or notify the league
secretary in writing his / their reason(s), must be prepared to be judged in
his / their absence and accept the findings of the Management Committee.
17. COMPLAINTS
Complaints concerning league matters
must be made in writing and lodged with the League Secretary within seven days
from the cause of complaint. Such complaints will be dealt with at the
first available Management Committee meeting.
18. ADDRESS CHANGES
Teams must advise any and all
changes of secretary / delegates address to the League Secretary promptly.
19. FAILURE TO FOLLOW RULES
Any team or player defaulting on any
rule shall be summoned before the Management Committee.
20. EXTRAORDINARY
Anything not specifically covered by
these rules and regulations shall be referred to the Management Committee whose
decision at all times will be final and binding.