Rotherham Combined Crown Green Bowling Association

Constitution (2020)

1) The Rotherham Combined Crown Green Bowling Association (hereafter referred to as RCCGBA) is the combined Midweek Evening League, Friday Doubles League and Saturday League. It will be registered with the B.C.G.B.A. by affiliation to S.Y.C.C.G.B.A. All clubs and players wishing to join must be affiliated to B.C.G.B.A. through S.Y.C.C.G.B.A. or their local County Association.

2) The affairs of the RCCGBA shall be run by an Elected Committee consisting of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and League Registrar(s) who do not hold any of the previous positions. The financial affairs of the league shall be audited annually by independent auditor(s) elected annually at the AGM. The Treasurer will produce at the AGM a report of the financial affairs which will be audited by auditors previously elected at the previous AGM.

3) The Elected Committee shall consist of, CHAIRPERSON, VICE CHAIRPERSON, SECRETARY, REGISTRARS and TREASURER and will elected annually at the AGM. With the exception of the Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson, honorariums will be paid for people holding these positions at the End of Season meeting. The amount paid will be agreed at the annual AGM.

4) Any matters which cannot be satisfactorily handled by the committee or need resolving at an AGM or EGM will be resolved by a meeting of the League Council which will consist of the elected committee plus one representative from each club in membership of the league. All of which will have one vote only and two thirds of the council need to be present to form a quorum.

5) (a) The AGM should be held in the last week of February, on a day to be chosen by the Committee. The Registration meeting is to be held two weeks after that, on a day to be chosen by the Committee.
(b) Teams wishing to resign from any League of the RCCGBA must do so by the Annual General Meeting, otherwise the League Fees for that year will still be due for their club. Fees payable for the season will be decided at the AGM and paid at the Registration meeting in March. If any club fails to pay their fees by the last day in March they will not be allowed to continue bowling.

6) The Committee may convene an extraordinary executive council meeting at any time. Also at the request of 3 member clubs in writing an executive council meeting can be called.

7) Notice of proposed alterations to league rules or any matters for discussion, must be received in writing by the Secretary at least 14 days prior to the AGM.

8) A club failing to attend a meeting will incur a fine of £10 per meeting.

9) All League and K.O. Cup matches shall be played in accordance with rules laid down by the B.C.G.B.A. Attention is drawn to BCGBA (EQUIPMENT RULE 1.2). The ENTRANCE which must be near the centre of any one side of the playing area shall be plainly marked.

10) Standard Jacks (legally date stamped) shall be used in all league and cup matches including all roll up and practices.

11 Evening and Doubles League games in April and all games from the 2nd full week in August shall commence at 6.30.pm, with all matches between these dates to commence at 7.00pm. An alternative starting time can be made with the agreement of both captains, but all matches must start no later than 7.30pm. All Saturday league matches will start at 2pm; any alternative starting times must be with the full agreement of both team captains and the Registrar.

12) A scratch time of 30 minutes shall be allowed from the agreed start time. At the end of the scratch time reserve players may be played, but if reserves are not available the opposing team shall receive a 21-0 win for each absent player (21-10 for averages). The scorecard to be marked “player absent”. Teams who concede, do not arrive or do not have the minimum number of players required to form a team by scratch time will have the match points awarded to their opponents. The minimum number of players to constitute a team shall be 3 in the Midweek League and 6 in the Friday and Saturday Leagues. If a Doubles League team has only 7 players by scratch time, the odd player may play a pair from the opposing team on his/her own using two woods.

13) In all league and cup matches the order of play shall be nominated by the team captains before the match commences.

14(a) Players will be automatically registered with a team when their name and South Yorkshire number appear on a result card. Once registered, players cannot play for another team in that league for the rest of the season. If an ineligible player is found to have played, the individual game will be marked as 21-0 to their opponents (21-10 for averages) and the aggregate score and league points adjusted. An additional 2 league points will be deducted for each ineligible player.
14(b) Each club shall submit their complete South Yorkshire list of registered players (both primary and secondary lists) before their first fixture of the season, after which those players will be allowed to play for their club at any time for the rest of the season, subject to the limitations in rule 14(a). New registrations may be added to this list until 31st July, but any player not correctly registered with SYCGBA will be deemed an illegal player and subject (retrospectively if necessary) to rule 14(a) penalties.

15) League fixtures shall be played according to the dates arranged in the fixture lists, but can be brought forward with consent of both teams. If a game is postponed, the Registrar must be advised by the home team within 48 hours of the scheduled date and a replay date agreed within 7 days, with the Registrar being informed of the new date. Matches should not be postponed within 24 hours of the due date unless the green is unfit, when rule 21 will apply. If a new date cannot be agreed the Registrar must be informed and the Registrar will make a decision referring to the Committee as necessary. Failure to comply with this ruling will result in a £1.00 fine.

16) Prior to the start of a match, when bad weather conditions prevail the home team captain will rule on whether or not the match can be played. Rule 15 shall apply to the rearranged fixture.

17) Prior to the start of league and cup matches played on non- neutral greens the home and away teams shall be allowed a 15 minute roll up, the home team shall vacate the green 15 minutes before start time.

18) In League matches the away team shall have the first cast of the Jacks.

19) In the Evening League and the Saturday League, the match result shall be decided by 1 point being awarded for each match won and 2 additional points awarded for the highest total scored. The Doubles League will award 2 points for a game win and 2 points for the aggregate points total win. In all leagues in the event of a tied total score the points will be shared (1 each).

20) Result card/sheets must be received by the registrar no later than 7 days after the match has been played, or the home team will be fined £3.00. The result card/sheets must include the Division, date, full name of each team, players’ names, registration numbers, individual scores and match points and it must be signed by both Captains. Failure to comply with any of these details will result in a fine of £1 for both teams.

21) The postponement of any league or cup match due to a club proposing to hold an in-house competition shall not be allowed. RCCGBA matches may be postponed if a South Yorkshire match is being played on the green of a scheduled RCCGBA match, or if either team is playing in a South Yorkshire match on the same day. Matches in other leagues do not take priority over RCCGBA matches and rule 11 will apply as appropriate. Any club infringing this rule will be subject to a fine of £5 per incident.

22) In the event of a match already started being abandoned, or any games not completed, shall continue when the match is rearranged. The match to resume at the abandoned score. The same named players of the original match to resume the game and any completed game to stand. If a player who had started his/her game is absent from the re-arranged game then their score will stand and their Opponent(s) will score 21. Any player in an abandoned match not already started their game can be replaced with a substitute player when the game is finally played.

23) The home team is responsible for paying the green fees for both teams.

24) Teams finishing on equal points at the end of the season shall have their league positions determined by the highest overall average for that season. This shall be calculated by the total number of points “for” divided by the total number of points “against”.

25) Divisional Average Winners will be awarded trophies and a cash prize. To qualify, players must play a minimum of 75% of their scheduled League matches (Cup matches do not qualify) 50% of those 75% must be Away matches. More Away matches than Home matches may be played as long the minimum of 75% of all games are played.

26) The Winners and Runners Up of each Division shall receive a trophy and a cash award. The trophy to be returned at the End of Season meeting or clubs will be fined £5.00. Any clubs or individuals who have won trophies but fail to collect them at the AGM, all trophies and or prize money will be forfeited and kept by the RCCGBA. If a club or individual loses or damages a trophy then that club/individual will be responsible for the cost of replacement or repair of that trophy.

27) The divisional winners and runner up shall be promoted. Usually a similar number of teams will be relegated, but the Registrar may amend this number, or promote additional teams should it be necessary, to have similar number of teams in each division. Any new teams entering a league will enter in the bottom division of that league.

28) The leagues Registrars shall produce a full league table for each meeting of the league during the season.

29) The season is to end when the final fixture of the league season is due to be played, as scheduled by the Registrars. The final fixture of the season can only be postponed due to the green being unfit as detailed in rule 22, and the Registrar notified within 24 hours. In this event, the fixture must be played within 7 days of the scheduled date subject to agreement with the Registrar. Teams not fulfilling their fixtures will be fined £5.00. Registrar to make decisions on all matches not played.

30) No person other than the Players shall be allowed on the green during a game except Measurers (when invited) or someone who is asked to give an opinion of an end in progress. Nothing in this Law will apply to a severely disabled person who needs assistance.

31(a) In all finals of competitions within the Association, whether they be team or individual, the dress code as set by the British Crown Green Bowling Association for that season shall apply. Any challenge to the dress code of a player should be made before the first end of the game. Once one end has been played, then it shall be deemed that players have accepted the standard of dress of their opponent(s) and the game shall continue to the end.
(b) If a Referee is officiating the event, then his decision on dress code complying with the British Crown Green Bowling Association dress code is final.

32) The officers of the RCCGBA may hold personal data necessary to fulfil the aims of the Association and to administer crown green bowls within our Association.
This member information can consist of title (Mr, Mrs, Miss etc), full name, address, postcode, telephone number (including mobile numbers), date of birth, email address and BCGBA registration numbers.
RCCGBA officials will only use this information, which will remain confidential, for administration and to communicate with members. By registering to play in RCCGBA leagues, individuals consent to the RCCGBA holding their personal data as above.
This information will not be passed on to any other third party for any purposes.
Any league officials resigning their position cannot use any contact information gained as part of their position for any future personal use.

31) ALL CLUBS MUST CLEARLY DISPLAY THE LEAGUE RULES AND CONSTITUTION, FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN A FINE OF £5.