BL1:     That the competition is known as the Warwickshire and Worcestershire Birmingham League hereafter known as WWBL.

BL2:     The WWBL will be open to all bona fide Clubs in accordance with Rule GM1.

BL3:     Any eligible Clubs entering more than one team in the WWBL shall be denoted by the addition of A and B after the club’s name.

BL4:     The league shall be divided into divisions in accordance with Rule GM3.

BL5:     All games shall be played in accordance with the BCGBA “Laws of the game of crown green bowls”.

WWBL Promotion and Relegation

BLR1:    Each team shall be represented by 8 players.

BLR2:    Points shall be awarded as follows:

• 2 points for a home aggregate win,
• 1 point for a home aggregate draw,
• 4 points for an away aggregate win,
• 2 points for an away aggregate draw.
• Each player that scores 21 shall be awarded 1 point.

BLR3:    The total points for each winner will be added to each team result per match, allowing for a maximum

• Home win of 10-0
• Away win of 12-0.

BLR4:    Games to be 21-up, Singles, Home and Away matches to be played.

BLR5:    In the event of a tie in points at the end of the season, aggregate will count and in the further event of aggregate being identical then shots scored will count, and in the event of a tie in points, aggregate and shots the clubs affected shall play a deciding match on a neutral green selected by the League Committee.

BLR6:    At the end of each season, in each Division the two lowest clubs shall be relegated to Division and the two highest clubs promoted, the two lowest clubs in the last Division to retire but be eligible for re-election together with any other clubs wishing to join the competition.

BLR7:    A withdrawal by an A or B Team after the approval of the league programme or during the season will lead to only one club being relegated from that division.

BLR8:    Any team which can only field 6 or fewer players (in a team of 8 players) including “doubling up” does not constitute a match and the game must be conceded to their opponents. Penalties will be imposed in accordance with rules on postponement and penalties

WWBL Trophies

BLR9:   The winners in each division shall be the holders of the trophy provided for that division and shall be held responsible by the Association for its satisfactory security and safekeeping and for the return of such trophy in good condition to the Hon. Treasurer of the Association on or before the date of the September/October AGM see Rule M1. Clubs failing to return the trophies by this date and/or in good condition will be fined £10.00 and will be responsible for the full cost of replacement if not returned.

Player Restrictions WWBL

BLR10:   All members playing in league matches must be selected from a list of registered members, furnished as per Association Rule M1.

BLR11:   No players are permitted to take part in both A and B team matches scheduled for the same day, and should it become necessary to bring forward or postpone either or both the matches scheduled for the same day, the same ruling shall apply to those particular rearranged matches as if they had been played on the scheduled day.

1. If a club has an A and a B team, the B team can have one player (and one player only) play twice in a fixture in the circumstances where that B team is unable to field the required number of players for that fixture.
2. If a club has only one (single) team, that team can have one player (and one player only) play twice in a fixture in the circumstances where that one team is unable to field the required number of players for that fixture.
3. From the B team or single team that is unable to field a maximum team for the fixture, four players’ names from that team are written on match cards by that team’s Captain and presented to the Opposition team Captain face down. That Opposition team captain chooses one card. The player named on that card plays twice. The player must play their first game in the first four and their second game will be the last game of the match.
4. A player playing twice in the same fixture shall only have their first game played as counting towards their League bowling Average for that season.
5. If a club has an A and a B team then the A team is not able to have any players play twice in a fixtu

Any breach of this rule (where a player has played for both an A and a B team on the same scheduled day):

1. when both matches are played on the same day will entail the forfeiture of the player’s score/s in both matches, and,
2. when the matches are played on different days, will entail the forfeiture of the player's score/s in the game played last.

Any breach of this rule (where a player has played twice for an A team in the same fixture where a club has both an A and B team):

1. This will entail the forfeiture of the player's score for the second game played. An individual player where the opponent has forfeited their score as a result of the above rule shall have the result awarded to them and have a plus of 5 shots added to their aggregate or their average shots per game for the whole of the season, whichever is greater. If it is proven by the League Sub Committee and endorsed by the full Management Committee that a team has deliberately tried to cheat or mislead their opponents, the Team Captain and/or the offending player shall be liable to be debarred from all Association Events for twelve calendar months from the date of the offence.

BLR12:   A player who is a member of more than one club shall be eligible to bowl on either green as a member of a visiting side in league matches if they make the home side aware in writing or electronic record before the fixture and the home side confirm they have no objection to that player playing in writing or electronic record. For the purpose of this rule a member is defined as one who pays a subscription to a Bowling Club or to a Bowling Section of a Sports or Social Club or is a member of an Organisation which utilises the green(s) of such Club or Section.

Any breach of this rule

1.  The game shall be awarded to the opponent, 21 points to nil with 1 point added to the opposing team’s total.

BLR13:   At the conclusion of a match the visiting players shall not continue to play on the green unless invited to do so by the home players.

BLR14:   Member clubs shall, prior to the first fixture, identify the green on which all their A team matches will be played, and if more than one team, identify the green on which all their B team matches will be played.

BLR15:   League games shall be played based on four ends commencing the game and thereafter being maintained throughout the duration of the match.

BLR16:   The Management Committee may authorise clubs and publish those to play three ends commencing the game and thereafter being maintained throughout the duration of the match where the Management Committee is satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances which justify the variation.

WWBL Match Rules

BLMR1:   League games shall be played in a programme that provides for clubs to play their opponents on consecutive Saturdays (home and away, or vice versa).

BLMR2:   All matches are to be played on or before the date scheduled by the Management Committee and must start at 12:00 pm.

The away team may practice for 15 minutes, from 11:40 am to 11:55 am.

If inclement weather develops and the green becomes subsequently playable matches will commence at that time, i.e., when the green is playable. The match cannot be called off until 12:00 pm. See Match Cancellation Guidance Policy.

BLMR3:   Management Committee arranged fixtures must be played on or before the scheduled date. The following are the only exceptions to this rule:

1. Inclement weather, see rule BLPP1.
2. Any club unable to fulfil A and B team fixtures on the same day shall fulfil the A team fixture and give 4 clear days’ notice in writing to the Fixture Secretary and their opponents of their intention to postpone the B team fixture. Receipt/ acknowledgement of the request to postpone must be confirmed by the opposition. Final confirmation in writing should then be made to the Fixture Secretary on or before the Friday of the fixture by the home team only.
3. If any club fails to comply with rule BLMR3.2 the B team fixture shall be conceded to their opponents, and the offending B Team shall have eight points deducted from their total for the season they shall pay a penalty of £10 to their opponents and their opponents shall be awarded shots as set out in BLR2 and points as set out in BLR3 depending on whether they were due to play at home or away.
4. The successful qualification of one or more WWCBA registered players from a Member Club in any BCGBA or BCGLBA-managed county championship and/or merit event which generates support from the qualifiers or qualifiers’ club.
5. When 2 or more players are selected to play (or as reserve) at home in a County match (Senior or Junior), at a venue where they would be playing as visitors during the 2 weeks practice period preceding the County match, the host club may postpone the league match (or matches) which will then be played in accordance with BLPP2.
6. Circumstances covered in Merit Competition Rule MC26.

Shuffled Draw

BLMR4:   A full shuffled draw, shall be made 5 minutes before the scheduled start time by the captains together placing their shuffled cards face down, this being the order of play. Players drawn and present when called in the order of play are not allowed to be substituted (unless medical or emergency conditions allow). Players drawn but not present when called in the order of play may be substituted by a reserve otherwise, they will forfeit 21 shots. The green must be fully occupied if the match is in progress.

BLMR5:   The visiting players are allowed the first cast of the jack. All matches shall be played under the supervision of the captains of the competing teams, whose duty it is to insist on and see that the games are carried out strictly in accordance with the “Laws of the Game” without waiting for an objection to be made by any player or players.

BLMR6:   If at the commencement or during the progress of the game, the green is considered unfit for play, the captains shall have the power to adjourn the match, but no match shall be called off before 12:00 pm. In the event of the match being adjourned the points already scored will count.

BLMR7:   Matches that are adjourned will continue within 29 days on a date agreed by both teams and will be continued on the 29th day following the original league date. Visiting players shall have 15 minutes practice on the rearranged date.

BLMR8:   No player shall leave the green during a game without the consent of the captains, as per the BCGBA Laws of the Game.

BLMR9:   In all matches, the home club shall provide not less than six jacks and footers of British Crown Green Approved Standard, such jacks, to be available for practice by the visiting team and be used in the match. The home club shall also be responsible for providing a tape measure of not less than 19 metres in length and approved measures all in accordance with BCGBA laws of the game.

Result Sheets

BLMR10:   The captain (or delegated member) of the home club shall in respect of all league matches, enter match results directly onto the Association’s results portal as soon as possible following the conclusion of the game and by no later than Monday following the fixture. The away captain (or delegated member) may then login and verify the results online no later than the Tuesday of the same week.

BLMR11:   Team results not entered and verified shall be deemed by the Association Management Committee to have been submitted late and the responsible home team shall automatically, and without exception, be fined £10.00.

BLMR12:   Any club which identifies false registrations or players will invoke ‘Ineligible Players Penalties’ set out in the rules on postponement and penalties.

Postponements and Penalties

BLPP1:      With the exception as stated in BLMR3, clubs shall only be permitted to postpone a league match from the date scheduled if on arrival and by 12:00 pm the green is found unfit for play.

The Fixture Secretary must be notified immediately of the postponement. Clubs specifically not in attendance, without prior notice to and the agreement of their opponents, and therefore unable to be a party to reaching an agreement on the unfitness of the green shall forfeit.

Where the home defaults, the away team shall be awarded the fixture 12-0 with a 50-shot aggregate or their average for the season.

Where the away team defaults, the home team shall be awarded the fixture 10-0 with a 50-shot aggregate or the average for the season.

An individual player that has no opponent shall have the result awarded to them and have a plus of 5 shots added to their aggregate or the average shots per game for the whole of the season, whichever is greater.

BLPP2:      All postponed games shall be played within 29 days of the scheduled date, on a date and time mutually agreed by the clubs concerned. The Fixtures Secretary must be advised of both the postponed and rearranged dates.

Should clubs fail to reach an agreement about a date to play the postponed fixture within 29-days, then the match must be played on the 29th day, this being the Sunday four weeks after the scheduled date, the match to start no later than 6:30 pm and in the event of either or both clubs failing to comply with this ruling, the following penalties will be applied:

1. Where both teams fail to attend at the scheduled green, the match will be declared void, and both teams will have eight league points deducted from the total for that season.
2. Where one team fails to attend at the scheduled green, the penalties as outlined in Rule CLPP1 shall be applied.

BLPP3:      New members and transfers MUST be registered with the Fixtures Secretary for the original date of game.

BLPP4:      Should a further postponement become necessary due to the green being unfit for play on the 29th day then an extension of a further 15 days will be allowed subject to rule BLPP2.

BLPP5:      In the event of any of the last 3 league programmed fixtures being postponed in accordance with Rule BLMR2 or BLMR3, the matches must be played within 15-days or on the 15th day following the final league programme fixture for the relative division. the rearranged match to start no later than 6:30 pm in the event of either or both clubs failing to comply with this ruling, the penalties set in Rules BLPP1 or BLPP2 will be applied.

Ineligible Player Penalties

BLPP6:      The playing of an unregistered or otherwise ineligible player, as determined by the Fixture Secretary or the League Sub Committee, shall be deemed an offence,

Any breach of this rule, the penalties shall be

1. A £10.00 fine for each offending player,
2. The game shall be awarded to the opponent, 21 points to nil with 1 point added to the opposing team’s total.

Where, by deduction of the offending player’s points and shots score from their team’s aggregate, the opponents are shown to have an equal or higher score changing the result of the match, the offending team's opponents shall be awarded the appropriate points for all matches of the unregistered or ineligible players games.

Where the offence is committed by a losing side, the offending player’s shots shall be deducted from their team’s aggregate and the team shall have one point deducted from their total for that season.

If it is proven by the League Sub Committee and endorsed by the full Management Committee that a team has deliberately tried to cheat or mislead their opponents, the Team Captain and the offending player shall be liable to be debarred from all Association Events for twelve calendar months from the date of the offence.

Unforeseen Events

BLPP7:      In the event of the unfortunate death or life-threatening illness i.e., stroke/heart attack of a player while the match is in progress

1. The match may be adjourned forthwith and shall subsequently be continued as provided for by rule.
2. The scores of the player and their opponent and the scores of other incomplete games shall be maintained pending continuation.
3. The player may be replaced on the date of the mutually agreed continued game by another eligible player, with the game restarted.
   

BLPP8:      The Management Committee shall have the power to deal with any matters arising which are not covered by these Rules and Bye-laws.

BLPP9:      There shall be no appeals against the management judgements made by the Fixtures Sub-Committee.