The league panel received an enquiry of an incident.
During a league match, an end has played 12 bowls but was suspended due to heavy rain. After waiting for 25 minutes, the booking time was reached and the end did not continue.
The league panel ruling is:
Both sides should be aware of the booking time and complete the end before it. We consider this as “a particular player refuses to play the remaining bowl(s) of the end” (Bye-laws 2.10.b) and Bye-laws 2.10.b.ii applies, ie the remaining players forfeit their remaining bowl(s) and the end should be concluded as it is.
Clarification between the bye-law 2.10.b and our normal practice:
In our normal practice, if a league match in public green cannot finish within four hours, the match will stop immediately (even it is in the middle of an end) and postpone to another date, unless there are rinks available to continue the match.
If the subsequent booking is for another league match, both sides should finish the current end. The match will stop and postpone afterward.
During this extended period, if the unfinished end is burnt, the match will stop immediately and postpone. The burnt end will be replayed anew in the postponed match.
In bye-law 2.10.b, in the event of inclement weather, such as heavy rainfall occurring during a match, every effort shall be made to complete the head being played. Unless both sides agreed to declare the end dead, if a particular player refuses to play the remaining bowl(s) of the end, the following arrangement will implement:
(i) If only half or less than half of the bowls has been played, the end will be declared dead.
(ii) If more than half of the bowls has been played, the end should continue to be completed. Players who are yet to play their bowls can choose to play or forfeit their remaining bowl(s). This decision should be made in the normal order of play and is final.
The end will conclude when all players played or indicated their intention to forfeit their bowl(s). Should any team want to wait for an improvement of the condition before continuing the end, such waiting time should be no more than 30 minutes, unless both sides agree to extend such waiting time.
In this case, the bye-law 2.10.b overrides the normal practice.
Cyril Leung
VP League