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Laws of the Sport of Bowls -
Effective from 1 January 2007
(Extract from Bowls
Australia Website)
In March 2006 World Bowls agreed to revise the Laws of the
Sport of Bowls.
Bowls Australia has agreed that the revised laws will take
effect in each state and territory in Australia from the start
of the competitive season commencing after 1 September 2006.
In Queensland, these revised laws took effect from 1 January
2007.
The objectives of the revision were:-
To produce a single version of the laws that would apply
worldwide replacing the many different law books currently being
used, with a single law book being used by every member country.
To deal with concerns, raised by both players and officials,
about a lack of consistency and fairness within some aspects of
the laws.
To improve the clarity of the law book so that everyone -
experienced players, officials, administrators and newcomers to
the sport alike - can more easily understand the laws. This is
particularly important in those countries where English is not
the first language.
In revising the laws World Bowls recognised that it should be
flexible enough to enable national associations to adopt their
own regulations for domestic play, while making sure that
international play was regulated the same way throughout the
world.
The Domestic Regulations for Australia have been agreed by the
States and Territories. The law books with domestic regulations
will be available from your state and territory associations
from 1 September.
Minimum length
The minimum length of an end is 23 metres. (Law 19.1, 23.1
dot point 3)
Rink numbers, markers and boundary pegs
The side boundaries of a rink is the centre of the boundary
peg. Clubs with boundary scopes will need to get a forked pin to
replace the current pin. (Law 1.3.27, Law 5.4)
The rink numbers and boundary pegs must be fixed on the top
of the bank not more than 100 mm back from the face of the bank.
Holes will need to be drilled in the top of the bank to fix the
pegs. Free standing pegs will no longer be allowed. (Law 5.2 dot
point 2, Law 5.3 dot point 2))
Markers on the side banks shall be at 2 metres and 25 metres
from the end ditches. (Law 5.12)
Handing over the mat
For the first end the winner of the toss, and for ends other
than the first, the winner of the preceding end has the option
of playing first. The opponent cannot refuse the mat and playing
first. (Law 18.4)
Foot-faulting
A player should take a stance on the mat with one foot
wholly on the mat before delivering a bowl. (Law 20.1)
At the moment of delivering the jack or bowl, the player
should have part of one foot on or above the mat. (Law 20.1)
An umpire may decide that a player is foot-faulting by their
own observation or on appeal from an opposing skip in a team
game or the opposing player in singles.
On the first occasion the umpire should warn the player in
the presence of the player’s skip and advise the manager or
coach if present that a warning has been given. (Law 21.1)
On each subsequent occasion that the player foot-faults the
umpire should have the player’s bowl stopped and declared dead.
(Law 21.2)
If it is not possible to stop the bowl before it disturbs
the head, the opponent should choose to (i) replace the head
(ii) leave the head as altered
(iii) declare the end dead (Law 21.3)
If a player foot-faults while delivering the jack, the
opposing player should place the mat in a legal position and
re-deliver the jack but should not play the first bowl. (Law
21.4)
Trial ends
The Controlling Body may allow trial ends immediately before
or after the scheduled starting time of a game. (Law 18.1.2)
String measures
Box String measures and bullet string measures are approved
as umpiring equipment. In Australia trammels are preferred
wherever possible. (Law 10 dot point 3)
Improper delivery of the jack
The number of times a jack is improperly delivered by each
player is reduced to once before it is placed at the 2 metre
mark with the mat being placed at the option of the first to
play. (Law 23.3)
Touchers
A bowl should be marked as a toucher by a member of the team
that delivered the bowl as soon as it comes to rest. (Law 25.1)
If a bowl is not marked or nominated as a toucher before the
next bowl comes to rest, or in the case of the last bowl of an
end, before a period of 30 seconds after the bowl has comes to
rest, the bowl is no longer a toucher.(Law 25.3)
The position of a toucher or a jack in the ditch can be
marked, in addition to the indicator on the bank, by drawing a
circle around the toucher or the jack in the ditch. (24.4, 29.2)
If the position of the toucher or the jack is moved in
accordance with the laws, the mark around the toucher or the
jack will be removed another mark can be drawn around the bowl
or jack in its new position. (Law 26.3, 29.5)
Player’s positions
Players at the mat end not delivering a bowl should stand at
least 1 metre behind the mat. (Law 36.1)
Players at the head end not controlling the head should
stand:
behind the jack and away from the head,
on the surrounds of the green if the jack is in the ditch,
or
well clear of the head if it is not possible to stand on the
surrounds. (Law 36.2)
Penalty as for Law 35. (Law 36.1.4)
A player should not:
go into a neighbouring rink where play is in progress.
go into or walk along a neighbouring rink, even if it is not
being used, while an opponent is about to deliver a bowl.
go into or walk along the section of the green between the
outside side boundary of rink and the side ditch while an
opponent is about to deliver or is actually delivering a bowl.
Law 36.2)
Penalty as for Law 35 (Law 36.2.4)
Scorecards
The skip will record on the scorecard the time that the game
finished and then sign the scorecard. (Law 37.3 dot point 5)
Replacement players and substitutes
In a team game
The period of grace for the start of a game is set at 30 minutes
from the scheduled starting time after which the game is forfeit
if a player is absent. (Law 46.1.2)
In a side game
The period of grace for the start of a game is set at 30 minutes
from the scheduled starting time after which the game should
continue but:
the number of bowls played by each defaulting team should be
made up by the lead and second playing three bowls each, and
one fourth of the total shots scored by each defaulting team
should be deducted from their score after the game is finished.
(Law 46.2.2)
Note: Up until the commencement of a game a replacement player
can be brought in to the team/side for the absent player. A
substitute is only allowed if a player is not able to continue
because of illness or other reasonable cause.
A substitute can only be introduced if both the skips agree,
or if the opponents cannot agree, the umpire or controlling body
decides that the substitute is necessary. (Law 51.3)
Groundsheets
Groundsheets are allowed. If groundsheets are to be used,
their position will be decided in consultation with the
green-keeper. The mat should be placed on the rear edge of the
groundsheet. (Law 19.1.5) Any player not meeting these
conditions is foot-faulting. (Law 20.3)
Game stoppages
A game can be stopped on account of darkness, weather
conditions or any other valid reason by the Controlling body, or
the umpire on appeal from the players.
The players can agree to stop play only when the umpire or a
representative of the Controlling body is not present. (Law
50.1)
An end commenced but not completed shall be declared dead.
(Law 50.2)
If all required bowls in the end have been played but the
result of the end has not been decided, the result should be
decided before the game stops. (Law 50.3)
If an original player in a team is not available when the
game is re-started, a substitute will be allowed. Players may
not transfer from one team to another. (Law 50.4)
A player can use a different set of bowls if a game has been
stopped and re-started on another day. (Law 47.3.2)
End
An end commences with the delivery of the jack by the first
player to play in that end. (Law 18.3.2) but includes deciding
the number of shots. (Law 1.3.7)
Decisions of skips
The skips in deciding points of dispute should make sure
that the Laws are observed. (Law 37.1.2)
If the skips are not sure of the correct decision they
should ask the umpire for an explanation. (Law 37.1.3)
The umpire should overrule any decision made by the skips
that the umpire considers is not in line with the Laws. (Law
37.1.4)
Other variations include:-
Jack level
Jack level and Jack High have the same meaning. (Law 1.3.26)
Shot indicators
On the request of the Controlling body shot indicators can
be used by the marker to indicate which player’s bowl or bowls
are considered to be shot. (Law 1.3.29)
Ditch Depth
The maximum depth of a ditch is increased to 200mm. (Law 3.2
dot point 2)
Bowl challenge
A challenge to a bowl is complete on the lodging of the
deposit. The penalty for a set of bowls failing a challenge is
for the player to forfeit the game. (Law 8.5.1 dot point 4)
Mat placement
If it is found that the mat has not been correctly placed:-
before the jack is delivered, the player to play first
should place the mat correctly. (Law 19.1.2)
after the jack is delivered but before the first bowl is
delivered, the opposing player should reposition the mat and
redeliver the jack, but not play the first bowl. (Law 19.1.3)
after the first player to play has delivered the bowl, no
one has the right to challenge the position of the mat. (Law
19.1.4)
Delivering the jack
If it is found that the wrong team has delivered the jack:-
before the bowl is played by each team, the correct team
will re-start the end. (Law 22.5)
after a bowl has been played by each team, play in that end
should continue in that order. (Law 22.6)
after the first player to play has delivered the first bowl,
no one has the right to challenge the legality of the position
of the jack. (Law 22.7)
Premature delivery
If a player delivers a bowl before the previous bowl has
come to rest, the umpire should:-
on the first occasion, warn the player in the presence of
the skip and advise the manager or the coach when they are
present that a warning has been given.
on every subsequent occasion, declare the player’s bowl
dead, and the opposing skip or opponent in singles should choose
whether to:
(i) replace the head
(ii) leave the head as altered
(iii) declare the end dead (Law 34.2.2)
Sets play
May be sectional play, knockout play or a combination of
both (15.1.1)
Two sets of nine ends constitute a game. (15.1.2)
Nine ends must be completed in sectional play but need not
in knockout play once the scores are such that one player/team
cannot win. (15.1.5, 15.1.6)
If each player/team wins one set a tie breaker of three ends
will be played. (15.2.1)
Ends won, not shots determine the winner of the tie breaker.
(15.1.2)
Winner of the toss has the option of playing first in the
first end of the first set and the first end of the tie breaker.
(15.4.1, 15.4.3)
Winner of the first set has the option of playing first in
the first end of the second set. If the first set is drawn, the
winner of the last scoring end has the option of playing first
in the first end of the second set. (15.4.2)
In all other ends the winner of the previous scoring end has
the option of playing first in the next end. (15.4.4)
If the jack goes out of bounds over the side boundary, it
will be re-spotted at the 2 metre mark and 1.5 metres from the
centre line on the side on which the jack went out of bounds.
(15.5.2, 15.5.3)
If the jack goes out of bounds over the bank it will be
re-spotted on the 2 metre mark. (15.5.4)
If the spot on which the jack is to be re-spotted is covered
by a bowl, the jack will be re-spotted a further .5 metre from
the front ditch. (15.5.6)
Damaged bowls
If the bowl is struck by another bowl and splits, the end
should be declared dead. (Law 49.2)
The damaged bowl should be replaced by another bowl from the
same set before the start of the replayed end. (Law 49.3)
If a bowl at rest in the rink splits into pieces without
having been struck by another bowl, the bowl should be replaced
with another bowl from the same set and the end continued. (Law
49.4)
If a damaged bowl cannot be replaced by a bowl from the same
set, all bowls in the damaged set should be replaced with bowls
from a different set. (Law 49.5)
Possession of the rink
If the umpire, either by observation or appeal by one of the
skips or opponents in singles, decides that a player in
possession of the rink is being interfered with, annoyed or
distracted in any way by the opponents, the umpire should:-
on the first occasion, warn the offending player in the
presence of the skip and advise the manager or coach when they
are present that a warning has been given. (Law 35.3)
on every occasion after the first warning, the umpire should
have the last bowl played by the offending player declared dead.
If the bowl has disturbed the head, the opponent should
choose whether to:
(i) replace the head, leave the head as altered
(ii) declare the end dead (Law 35.4)
Conditions of play
A Controlling body should make sure that the players and the
clubs who are taking part in the competition or game are
familiar with the conditions of play. (Law 17.2, appendix A.1.2)
Duties of umpire and marker
The umpire, and in the umpire’s absence, the marker should:
(i) make sure that all aspects of play are carried out in line
with the Laws of the Sport of Bowls,
(ii) check before the game starts, that;
all bowls have a clearly visible World Bowls stamp on them
the rink of play is the correct width by measuring it
the pegs or discs on the side banks in the direction of play
are the correct distances by measuring them. (Law 55.1)
In addition the marker will:-
check the jack is at least 23 metres from the mat line after
it has been centred
when asked, tell or show the player in possession of the
rink the position of the jack
when authorised by the Controlling Body, signal to
spectators (using shot indicators) which player’s bowl or bowls
the marker considers to be shot, Law 55.2)
Note: There is no separate recognition of a measurer or law
umpire within World Bowls Laws.
Contracting out
No Controlling Body or individual has the right or power to
contract out of any of the Laws of the Sport of Bowls.
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