Chorley and District Ladies League Rules

1) The league shall be called "Chorley and District Ladies League" and shall consist of clubs playing on greens within 10 miles of Chorley Town Hall.

2) The league shall be governed by a Chairwoman, Treasurer, General Secretary and Fixtures Secretary plus 2 delegates from each team who shall form a committee.

3) A sub-committee shall be formed from the League Committee to deal with any special business.

4) A General Meeting shall be called on a date set by the League Committee and held at the most convenient club.

5) At the General Meeting the Secretary shall submit her report on the past season and the Treasurer shall submit her balance sheet for that season.

6) Any club may send in a petition in writing, signed by the Chairwoman, Secretary  and six other members of the club, to the League Secretary to call a special meeting of the League Committee. If it is deemed important then a special General Meeting will be called, at which no other business will be transacted.

7) At the General Meeting the entrance fees, match fees and the points system will be decided upon.

8) Any team playing an unregistered player will forfeit the game and it will count as a 21-0 win for the opposition side. The offending player shall be barred for the season.

9) Results sheets shall be forwarded to the Fixtures Secretary by the home team captain within two days of the match being played.

10) Both home and away teams to provide scorers who should sit together and agree scores every 3rd end and at the end of the game.

11) Standard jacks, provided by the home team, must be used. Visitors leading the jack.

12) Disputes of any nature shall be settled by both captains on the night of the match if possible. Unsettled disputes to be brought to the notice of the League Committee whose decision will be final.

12a) If there is a serious infringement of the rules and a special meeting is called, a member of the clubs involved may be present at the meeting to state their clubs case.

13) Representatives of the League Committee shall not be eligible to vote on disputes or protests involving their own respective clubs.

14) All league games,handicaps or individual matches shall be played with the existing conditions of each green.

15) All matches shall be played if the respective green keepers declare that the green is fit. If the green is not fit the captains shall agree when to play again.- home captain to notify the Fixtures Secretary. In the event of a match being postponed after starting it shall be resumed where it left off. All postponed or abandoned matches to be completed within 14 days.

16) The home team are responsible for any greenage fees which may be payable.

17) A list of registered players to be with the fixtures secretary before the start of the season. Names can be added at any time during the season.(Amendment AGM Jan. 2019.)

18) Captains to draw for games. 8 Players per team. An official list of players and reserves to be posted. A player must report within 1 hour of the start of each match. Home captain to decide the order of play. All games 21up

19) The following points are awarded in league matches:-

      A)  1 point for each winning player.

      B)  1 point for a home draw.

      C)  2 points for a home team win or a away draw.

      D)  3 points for a away team win. 

            The winning team being the team with the highest aggregate score.

20) Visitors are allowed 15 minutes practice with match jacks. Home players must remain off the green during such practice.

21) All league games to commence at 7.00pm.(Amendment AGM Jan 2023) At least 4 players of each team to be present at the start of the match. A late arrival of any player in the first 4 games will be penalised by 8 chalks.

22) Prizes will be given to the winner and runner-up of each division to a value decided by the League Committee.

23) Any team failing to be represented at any League Meeting shall be fined a sum decided upon by the League Committee.

24) The Treasurer shall at any time be called upon to furnish at any Delegates Meeting a statement of accounts, fees etc. to be paid to the Treasurer.

25) The Committee shall have the power to decide on any matter not already provided for in these rules and to impose such penalties as they deem proper for the contravention of the same. The League Committee are sole intrepreters of these rules and from their decision there shall be no appeal at law or otherwise.

26) The League Committee shall have the power to submit new rules or alter existing rules at the General Meeting.

27) None of the rules or bye-laws shall be altered,rescinded or added to without the consent of the majority of those present at the General Meeting.

28) All games to be played under the rules as published in the British Crown Green Bowling Association Official Handbook. All clubs and players shall be affiliated to B.C.G.B.A. through a County Association.

     TEAMS WHO PLAY IN TWO DIFFERENT COUNTIES (ie Lancashire and Greater Manchester) MUST STATE EACH YEAR WHICH COUNTY THE CLUB FAVOURS.

Players of that team must abide by that decision as anyone found to have played in any county competitions for more than 1 county will be dealt with by the County Committee.

29) If a player is drawn against an opponent who fails to turn up for the match, the score will count as a 21-0 win for the match and a 21-11 score for the league merit.(Amendment AGM Jan 2004) 

30) An annual donation of £20.00 to be made to a local charity in memory of deceased bowlers.(Amendment AGM 2005)

31) Any club or merit winner eligible to receive prize money on Presentation Day must send a representative of their team to take part in the competition or forfeit the prize money.(Amendment AGM Jan 2011)

32) Any club with more than one team must star the six highest ranked players in each team. These players can only play for that team. All other  players can play for either club team.(Amendment AGM 2018)