Formats of Play

Since the start of the outdoor season I have received a number of e-mails from bowlers asking why their league/competitions rules differ from those printed in the World Bowls Laws of the Sport of Bowls (pink book). Without seeing all the rules that apply to each competition it is difficult to say, however the Law Book does make provision for Domestic Regulations and I can only assume that each law change has been made in accordance with Law 16 ‘Formats of Play’ and Law 17 ‘Regulations for Play.’ We will look at Law 17 in a future edition.

Law 16 ‘Formats of Play’ applies mainly to world events, Commonwealth Games and international events, although there is a reference to Domestic Events under Law 16.3.

16.1 World events and Commonwealth Games

16.1.1 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.

16.1.2 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.

16.1.3 For Triples, two or three bowls can be played, with each player playing in turn. The format of play will be 18 ends (each player plays two bowls), 15 ends (each player plays three bowls), sets play, or any other format decided beforehand by WB.

16.1.4 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.

16.1.5 The Controlling Body has the power to include in its Conditions of Play regulations for introducing substitutes which are different from those described in laws 50 and 51, if that Controlling Body decides that this is essential to successfully carry out its Championship. The Controlling Body can also decide on the regulations for introducing reserve or replacement players to take the place of players who cannot play in any round after the first round.

16.1.6 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

16.2.1 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.

16.2.2 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.

16.2.3 For Triples. Two or three bowls can be played, with each player playing in turn. The format of play will be 18 ends (each player plays two bowls), 15 ends (each player plays three bowls), sets play, or any other format decided beforehand by WB.

16.2.4 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.

16.2.5 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 laws 16.2.1, 16.2.2, 16.2.3 and 16.2.4 as appropriate.

16.2.6 There can be a time limit on play. The Controlling Body will decide the time limit before the game begins. The game will end:

16.2.6.1 when the pre-arranged number of shots has been scored;

16.2.6.2 when the pre-arranged number of ends has been completed;

or

16.2.6.3 if an end is in progress when the pre-arranged time limit is

reached, when that end has been completed.

16.2.7 The Controlling Body has the power to include in its Conditions of Play regulations for introducing substitutes which are different from those described in laws 50 and 51, if that Controlling Body decides that this is essential to successfully carry out its Championship. The Controlling Body can also decide on the regulations for introducing reserve or replacement players to take the place of players who cannot play in any round after the first round.

16.2.8 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.

While those two laws specifically deal with world events, Commonwealth Games and international events, the following Law 16.6 refers to Domestic events as follows:

16.3 Domestic events.

16.3.1 The formats of play for Singles, Pairs, Triples, Fours and side games will be decided by the Controlling Body.

16.3.2 The Controlling Body has the power to include in its Conditions of Play regulations for introducing substitutes which are different from those described in laws 50 and 51, if that Controlling Body decides that this is essential to successfully carry out its Championship. The Controlling Body can also decide on the regulations for introducing reserve or replacement players to take the place of players who cannot play in any round after the first round.

16.3.3 Changing the programme

The Controlling Body has the power to alter or amend the programme of the event 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 is programme if it decides that this id essential to successfully carry out or finish the event.

The above laws give the Controlling Body many powers to change the format of the game which include setting the number of shots, ends or sets to be played, allowing or indeed not allowing substitutes to be used along with the right to alter, amend, change, suspend or abandon the programme.

Readers’ Letters…

As a regular reader of the Bowls International magazine I wonder if you can explain something that I can’t get my head around. Last year I completed my Surrey Markers’ Course during which we used feeler gauges for measuring distances less than could be measured by callipers. Acting as a Marker/Umpire last year in an invitation competition, I went to our umpires’ box to see if everything was in order, looked at the feeler gauges and then at the callipers. It then struck me that the maximum distance if you placed all of the leaves together would not reach the minimum distance of the callipers. The minimum distance that can be measured by callipers such as Drakes Pride is approximately 10mm. The feeler gauges that are sold in bowls shops and I believe included in the umpires’ sets will, if all the leaves are used, reach a maximum of 3.8 mm. It is only if you buy a 20 leaf metric set can you measure a total of 10.5 mm and therefore measure up to the minimum distance of a calliper. I know when I did my Markers’ Course at Doynings we used feeler gauges that had more then 10 leaves – therefore I assume it was a 20 leaf set. I have spoken to bowls suppliers and even Drakes Pride and asked what was the maximum distance of the feeler gauges and minimum distance of the callipers. I got passed around and nobody knew the answer or I think they thought I was mad for even asking the question. Hopefully the answer is not that I should use the callipers on the box measure. Please could you let me know where I am going wrong, or please advise where my measuring knowledge is lacking.

Neil Cooper

Dorking Bowling Club.

Dave’s Reply…

Firstly, Neil, congratulations on passing your markers’ examination and for being a regular reader of Bowls International. You are perfectly correct in stating that the feeler gauge should be used for distances that are too small for a calliper. I cannot comment on the sizes of the feeler gauges or the callipers included in the umpires’ kits supplied by the companies that you mention in your letter as I have never purchased an umpires’ kit. My personal kit has been put together over the last thirty odd years consisting of quality engineers’ callipers and feeler gauges etc. My feeler gauges are that old that they span a distance of ½ inch in old money (12mm) and callipers go as small as 3/8 inch (10mm).

It is essential that you have the correct equipment to cover every occasion and I would ask all umpires to check their umpires’ kit to ensure that they can measure every distance possible. Regarding the use of the calliper on the box measure, I would not recommend that you use this calliper unless you have nothing else, because it has no locking device. It can and often does move if not used correctly.

What we must remember is that feeler gauges were not devised for use by umpires but for other less important functions, some of them to do with cars and engines etc. However, I must stress that the onus is on you the umpire to ensure that your equipment is up to doing the job that you have been asked to do, never depend on the club or Controlling Body to provide the equipment.

If any bowls manufacturers read this letter I would ask them to look at their umpires kits to see if callipers and feeler gauges do cross over the vital distances and not leave a 6.2mm gat as suggested by Neil Cooper.