Yesterday a bowler enquired about a situation when the Jack was accidentally moved during measurement. In a league match the non-offending team demanded to stop the measurement and took the shot, claiming this is in accordance with the “Laws”. The offending team was not familiar with such “Laws” so has to accept it reluctantly.
Up to this point a lot of you will laugh because such “Laws” does not exist and the decision is obviously wrong. According to the Laws of the Sport of Bowls (Crystal Mark Edition 2):
33.4.1 If the jack is displaced by the equipment being used by a player during measuring, an opponent should put it back to its former position.
Putting the Jack back to its former position by the non-offending team is the only solution for such situation.
Of course if someone values a win over honesty, that’s their own choice.
Claudius Lam