22 Mar Important information for the new season

With the new 2024 season fast approaching there are a few things for players to be aware of this year:

Prerequisite “three games” waived for selected competitions

We have the largest number of teams entered in the leagues for over a decade, which means a very full calendar. To fit everything in we have some competitions starting quite early on and because of this the prerequisite “three games” under Rule 17h has been waived for bowlers wishing to enter the Pairs, Over ‘70s and Over ‘80s competitions. The “three games” requirement remains for all other singles and pairs competitions. Also please note that for pairs competitions both entrants must be participating in this season’s league games for the club under which they are entering the competition.

Updated Rules/Bye-laws come into effect for 2024.  Click <HERE> to link to them.

The updates to the Rules/Bye-laws were unanimously agreed at the Annual General Meeting and come into force immediately. These have been published on this website and included in the 2024 handbook. Below are some key changes that players, and especially captains, should keep in mind. NB This summary is not a substitute for reading the rules so please ensure you take the time to familiarise yourself with the rules in full.

• All players must be registered on Bowlsnet before they take to the green, otherwise they will forfeit games. See Rule 6b
• Players registered mid-season cannot enter team competitions that are already underway (whether or not your team has played their first match of the competition). See Rule 6f
• Clubs registering a new player midseason must make sure to contact the League or Competition Secretary straight away to get their handicap agreed. This must be done before a new player can play in any competitions; team, singles or pairs. See Rule 6g
• Team captains in the 6-man League need to make sure they do not select an ineligible player for the final four fixtures of the season due to them not having played frequently enough for their team. See Rule 11h
• Team captains in 10-man Div 3, 4 and 5 need to make sure they do not select an ineligible player for the final four fixtures of the season due to them having played too often for a Div 1 or 2 team. See Rule 11g
• Captains of teams competing in the Subsidiary Team Knockout need to make sure they do not select ineligible players due to them having played too often in a Div 1 or 2 10-man team, or because they have played too often in the Team Knockout earlier in the season. See Rules 14b and 14e
• Captains representing clubs with two or more teams competing in the same competition need to remember bowlers are tied to the team they have played most for in the league, and whilst they may play up for a higher team, they cannot play down. See Rules 13c & 13d (Team Knockout), 14c & 14d (Subsidiary Team Knockout) 15b& 15c (Bistro) 16b, 16c & 16d (Julie Fuller).
• The Julie Fuller rule requiring selected players to have competed in 50% of league games still applies. See Rule 16b
• Any player may request their game uses a yellow jack as an alternative to black. If the home team is unable to provide one the visitors may provide their own. See Rule 11d
• Hot weather rules permit players to take mid-game breaks for safety and comfort. See Rule 9a