Who Keeps the Card?

I WAS recently part of the successful Welsh team that won the British Isles seniors indoor double rink event at the Bodelwyddan Castle Hotel in North Wales.

When I arrived I was asked by several players involved to clear up the law in relation to ‘who marks the scorecard indoor,’ and when I returned home I had an e-mail from an English club asking the same question.

Once again this is a clear case of two sets of laws for the same sport causing confusion among bowlers.

In an attempt to clear up any confusion that may exist, this month we are first going to look at the duties of players as defined in the World Indoor Bowls Council’s Law of the Sport of INDOOR Bowls First Edition, Revised August 2010 (green book).

I shall delve into the duties of position two, three and skip to show where the responsibilities lie.

Law 43 – PLAYERS AND THEIR DUTIES

Law 43A – The Skip

(i). The skip shall have sole control of his team and his instruction shall be

observed by his players.

(ii). With the opposing skip he shall decide all disputed points and when both

agree, their decision shall be final.

(iii). If both skips cannot agree, the point in dispute shall be referred to and

considered by an umpire, whose decision shall be final.

(iv). A skip may at any time delegate his powers and any of his duties to other

members of his team, provided that such delegation is notified to the

opposing skip.

Please Note:

You must inform your opposing skip if you are delegating any powers or duties to any other member of your team and it is often wise to inform the opposing skip what players have been given the powers and/or duties. This action will avoid any unpleasant moments that could arise when players are accused of interfering in matters that do not concern them, which could include directing the head.

Law 43B – The Third

(i). The third player may have assigned to him the duty of measuring any and

all disputed shots.

Please Note:

This is an interesting law. It is our custom and practice as bowlers that the third player always measures. However, according to the law, the skip has that responsibility which he may delegate to the third. I am not suggesting that you inform your opposing skip every game that you have delegated the power of measuring to the third. However, if you do come across a situation when the skip conducts the measuring he or she is within their powers to do so.

Law 43C – The Second.

(i). The second player shall keep a record of all shots scored for and against

his team and shall at all times retain possession of the scorecard whilst

play is in progress.

(ii). He shall see that the names of all players are entered on the scorecard.

(iii). He shall compare his record of the game with that of the opposing second

player as each end is declared.

(iv). At the close of the game he shall hand his scorecard to his skip, who shall

sign the card and record on the card the time of the conclusion of the game

Please Note:

This is the law that answers our original question. In games under the control of the WIBC Laws of the Sport, basically the INDOOR LAWS, the SECOND man or woman keeps the scorecard and not the skip.

I think it is most important that we ensure that the number two complies with all aspects of this law and he/she keeps the card in his/her possession AT ALL TIMES, and not leave it on the bank, or with your wife or husband sitting at the side of the rink etc. If you are playing second, always ensure that the names of all the players are put on the card and most importantly check the score with your opposite number at regular intervals. If an error has been made, the longer it goes unnoticed the more difficult it is to correct.

The skip also plays an important part in this law. When the second has completed the card he should hand it to the skip who should sign the card and also record the time that the match has finished on the scorecard. My advice to all skips would be to check the card with your opposite skip before signing it. Even though the number two players would have checked the score it is always wise to check it again before signing it.

ATTENTION: DIFFERENCE IN RULINGS!

World Bowls Laws of the Sport of Bowls Crystal Mark, Second Edition (yellow book), basically the OUTDOOR LAWS, contradicts this law by giving the responsibility of keeping the scorecard to the skip. Law 37 ‘Players Duties’ states the following:

Law 37.1.7 The skip should:

37.1.7.1 be responsible for the scorecard supplied by the controlling body while

play is in progress

37.1.7.2 enter the names of all players of both teams on the scorecard.

37.1.7.3 record, on the scorecard, all shots scored for and against the team as each

end is completed.

37.1.7.4 compare the scorecard with that of the opposing skip as each end is

completed: and

37.1.7.5 at the end of the game, record on the scorecard the time the game finished

and then sign it.

The World Bowls laws also go to explain what should happen if a scoreboard is in use:

Law 37.1.8 If a member of a national authority agrees to a scoreboard being used instead of one of the scorecards, the skip of the team which won the toss for opening play should update the scorecard and the opposing skip should

deal with the score as described in Law 37.1.7.

DELEGATION

I have also been asked if the skip can delegate the duty of marking the scorecard to another player i.e. the second, (this only applies OUTDOOR). The World Bowls law book also covers this in Law 37.1.9, which states:

Law 37.1.9 Skips can, at any time, delegate their own powers and any of their own

duties (except those described in Laws 37.1.7 and 37.1.8) to any other

members of the team as long as they tell the opposing skip immediately.

Please Note:

The answer is NO. The skip cannot delegate the duty of marking the scorecard because that duty is included in Law 37.1.7.

Having played a full season at skip and marking the scorecard, I have not found it as problematic as I thought I would, although I have witnessed incidents of a skip forgetting to mark the card – especially at the start of the season.

One of my main problems is getting the information from your third, some shout it up the green while others tend to keep it a secret and you have to ask. The interesting part of the law book that covers this is Law 37.2 ‘The Third,’ which states the following:

Law 37.2 – The Third.

37.2.1 The third can measure any and all disputed shots.

37.2.2 The third can tell the skip the number of shots scored for or against their team as

each end is completed.

Please Note:

The interesting word in that law is “can” tell the skip. What if he chooses not to “tell” the skip. I would much prefer the word “must” tell the skip or “will” tell the skip.

FINALLY

I hope all this has been of help when clarifying the rule of who marks the scorecard, depending on which code is used, and what the players’ duties are.

DAVE PHILLIPS PROBLEM PAGE!

If you have any queries about this matter or any other umpiring query, please e-mail bowls@keypublishing.com, as from now on I shall endeavour to answer questions as part of a PROBLEM PAGE IN BOWLS INTERNATIONAL, starting in the December issue.

CAN YOU HELP?

THIS bowls measure was made by John Rabone & Sons, Birmingham, the inscription reading ‘Born 1820 – Still Going Strong.’ A Mr D. G. Jones, from Swansea, wonders whether anyone out