Rules

 Mermaid League Rules

Team Captains must be conversant with these rules before starting a match

Management and Administration

1. The organisation shall be known as the MERMAID BOWLS LEAGUE

 2. The management of the League shall be conducted by the OFFICERS and TEAM CAPTAINS or team member nominated by that Captain. A majority of member Clubs will constitute a quorum. Voting shall be one vote per club, in the event of a tie the Chairman will have the casting vote. Voting will be by a show of hands but any club has a right to a secret ballot. 

3. The League shall elect a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. The Offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined. 

4. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the League’s account at an approved bank. The Chairman and Treasurer will sign all withdrawals. 

5. Vacancies occurring in office shall be filled at the Committee’s discretion and any such person appointed shall hold office to the end of season. 

6. The League shall hold an A.G.M. every year and as many committee meetings comprising Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer as may be necessary to run the League efficiently. 

7. League fees shall consist of a registration fee of £15.00 payable to the League Treasurer before the commencement of each season.

Applications from new clubs

8. Any new Club who may wish to apply to join the League must obtain the approval by a majority vote of the existing League member clubs to secure acceptance.

 Rinks and Teams

9. The League shall consist of mixed teams playing matches of four triples to represent each team.

10. Teams may be reduced to 3 triples for the playing season if a club wishes to do so. The league committee must know of this decision by the 31st January each year, so that everyone can be given this information for their fixture programme. The committee must know of every club's decision. Clubs must stay with their decision for the season but if their circumstances change, the club may apply to the committee to review their playing format choice.

11. Where a club cannot raise a compliant team of four or three rinks, the match may, exceptionally, be played with two triples.

12. The usual dress shall be either Club coloured clothing or white above the waist and grey trousers, shorts or skirts below the waist. White, brown or grey flat soled shoes to be worn. 

Team constitution

13. In order to comply with the League’s mixed status, each team will have a minimum of three men and three ladies (juniors, under 16) may be substituted for either men or ladies) but see rule 14 for matches played between two rinks.

14. Where, exceptionally, only two rinks are being played there shall be a minimum of one man, one lady or one junior in each team.

15. When a scheduled match is due to be played as either a four rink or three rink match and one team is unable to field a compliant team that team captain must be notify the opposing club captain as early as possible. Should they not do so until the match day, the match should be played with the maximum number of rinks which will fulfil either rule 13 or 14 and the opposing captain may revise their playing team. Scoring will be in accordance with the number of rinks originally scheduled to be played and rinks that cannot be fielded will be awarded to the opposition. It is expected that this situation would arise only in exceptional circumstance, for instance, last minute inability to play from a selected member.

 Match organisation 

16. Those playing must have been a member of the club they represent for at least one month prior to playing. Under no circumstances may a player play for more than one club within the course of the season. 

17. If a team does not have a full complement of players ten minutes after the scheduled start of play they will forfeit the two rink points and five shots will be added to the overall score of their opponents for each affected rink.

18. The Home team select the rinks to be played on i.e. 1 - 4 or 2 - 5 etc. The Away captain places the Home teams score cards face down, then places one of his teams score cards face down, on top of each of the Home teams cards. Then a rink number is drawn and placed on each pair of cards to denote which rink each game is played on. In the event of inclement weather or impending poor light, Captains may take a mutual decision to dispense with Trial Ends and/or agree to count one shot only on the first two ends. If either Captain is not in agreement, then the normal practice of Trial Ends would apply.

19. Each match shall be contested over EIGHTEEN ends unless each of the opposing competing Captains agree to fewer ends due to unsuitable conditions. TEN ends shall be the MINIMUM played for the match to be valid. If less than TEN ends are played the match shall count as a cancelled match and the points shared. All rink scoreboards will be left in position at the end of the rink showing the final score of that rink until all rinks are finished playing and the match is completed. Skips will keep the scorecard.

20. If play has to be ended during a game due to inclement weather or the Green becoming unplayable, the Captains to agree on ending the match; if in dispute the final decision is that of the home Captain. Should this situation arise, all rink scores for the ends completed will count subject to rule 19, and the overall result will be determined from these scores. Not all rinks will have to have played the same number of ends.

Match scoring

21. The match result shall be determined on the basis of games won and lost.

21a. In four rink matches there will be TWO points per rink won and ONE point for each rink tied. A further TWO points will be awarded to the team with the most shots: a maximum of TEN points per match. If ten (10) ends have not been completed, Rule 19 applies.

21b. In three rink matches there will THREE points for each rink won and ONE point will be awarded to the team with the most shots. If a rink is drawn after 18 ends, then an extra end will be played to decide the 3 points, this is to ensure that no half points are involved in the scoring. If after all 3 rinks have completed playing 18 ends both teams have the same overall total number of shots, then the Rink that finished playing last will have to play a further end to establish which Team had the greatest number of shots. The additional overall point is awarded to that team. Should a game be abandoned after each rink has played at least ten ends and the overall shots score is level, the match shall be decided on the toss of a coin. (This is to ensure no half points are involved in the scoring.) 

21c. If a team is a rink short, then 5 shots and the 2 or 3 points will be awarded to the opposition as normal.

 Match cancellation prior to arranged date

22. In the event of a match having to be cancelled because of bad weather the Captain of the home team shall notify the Captain of the opposing team and the League Secretary at their earliest opportunity and in any case within seven days. Failure to do so may incur a penalty deduction of two League points from the Home Team. The match must be rearranged on a suitable date agreeable to both teams and the rearranged date to be made known to the League Secretary before the match takes place. Should any dispute arise between the opposing teams, it must be referred to the League Secretary for a decision. If a subsequent arrangement to play a rearranged match cannot be put into effect then only with the agreement with the League Secretary the points will be shared – FIVE to each team. If a cancellation occurs for any other reason the Captain of the team unable to attend shall notify the Captain of the opposing team and the League Secretary who will decide the distribution of points. The only reason to postpone a match is for inclement weather and not because of lack of players.

 Failure to fulfil a fixture

23. If any team does not fulfil a match and gives away all 10 points, then that team’s results for all the season are null and void, unless there are exceptional circumstances for this which are accepted as a valid reason by the committee

Player unable to continue game

24. In the situation where a player is not able to continue playing due to illness, injury or an emergency, a reserve of either gender may be used at any time. The substitute may not take on the position of skip, however the rest of that rink may change their positions. The substitute must be a playing member of the club involved

25. If there is not a reserve (substitute) available then, provided TEN ends or more have been played the game on that rink shall cease at the standing score. Should the emergency arise before TEN ends have been played the game shall become null and void on that rink only and the TWO rink points and FIVE shots for that rink shall be awarded to the opponents.

  Final Table

26. If at the end of the season more than one team shares the lead, the winner will be the team with the greater of number of shots for. If these are equal, the team with the least shots against shall be adjudged to be the winners. The winning club/team will be presented with the MERMAID BOWLS LEAGUE CHALLENGE CUP to be held for one year. There will be prizes awarded to the top three teams, the amounts dependent upon the League’s sponsor but with a minimum of £50 to the first place, £20 to the second and £10 to the third.

Inappropriate behaviour or conduct

27. A member may be dismissed from the League or an Officer removed from the League for conduct derogatory to the best interest of the League, deliberate action which can be proven to be detrimental to the best interests of the team or for violation of any League rule. Any complaint against a League member must be in writing and the case will be considered by the officers at a meeting the date of which must be within 7 days of the receipt of the complaint

Dissolution of the League

28. If the Management Committee decides that it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the League it shall call a meeting of all members of the League, of which not less than 21 days’ notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed) shall be given. If the proposal is supported by two-thirds of those present and voting the Management Committee shall have power to realise any assets held by or on behalf of the League. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other institution or institutions having objectives  similar to the objectives of the League as the members of the League may determine at that meeting and the League Winner’s trophy shall be returned to the Mermaid Inn for safekeeping.