CUP2:      Teams shall be represented by 8 players, with games to be 21-up singles. All matches are to be played on neutral greens and the draw is to be made by the Competitions Sub-Committee which shall also select the greens. The losing team in each round is to be eliminated from the Competition. All cup matches shall be played only on greens of member clubs but including greens identified in response to League rule CLR15.

CUP3:      The winning team in the Finals of each section shall be the holder of the Trophy provided by the Association and shall be held responsible by the Association for its satisfactory security and safekeeping. The trophy is to be returned in good condition to the Hon. Treasurer of the Association on or before the date of the September AGM. Clubs failing to return the trophies by this date and/or in good condition will be fined £10.00.

CUP4:      All members playing in Cup matches must be selected from the list of registered members, furnished as per Association Rule MA1. No player shall be allowed to take part in both A Cup and B Cup matches scheduled for the same day, and should it become necessary to postpone either or both of the matches scheduled for the same day, the same ruling shall apply to those particular re-arranged matches as if they had been played on the scheduled day. Any breach of this rule entails the forfeiture of the player’s score in both matches, also making the player and his team captain liable to be debarred from all Association competitions for twelve calendar months from the date of the offence, and the team to be penalised as per Cup Rule CUP15.

CUP5:      An A Cup-tied player shall be ineligible to bowl in the B Cup. If a club has two teams in the A Cup and/or B Cup, players may only play in one team, and may not be selected for both teams in that Cup.

CUP7:      No player shall be eligible to compete in a Cup Match on a green on which he has practised or played during the fourteen days preceding the Cup Match, otherwise than permitted by Association Rule EC1.

Match Rules

CUP8:       (A) All matches in the Cup Competitions will be played on Friday evenings commencing at 7.00 pm. Cup games will not be scheduled for Bank Holiday weekends. An open draw will be made prior to the commencement of the competitions each season. Each round is not to be redrawn but the winner of match 1 to play the winner of match 2, etc. in subsequent rounds. The selection of greens by the Competitions Sub Committee will be by placement and not by open draw.

(B) No practice allowed on the green. Friendly and rearranged League matches are to be considered practice up to fourteen days preceding the Cup match.

(C) All cup matches must be played on the dates identified in the approved fixture list. No team is permitted to postpone or call off a Cup Match other than by prior arrangement with the Competition Officer. The host club/venue can postpone the Cup game if inclement weather conditions mean that the green is unplayable at least 1 hour before the start time. The host club should contact both clubs due to play the fixture and the Competition Secretary to advise if this is the case. Matches which fail to start or are abandoned due to inclement weather must be played or completed the following Friday evening at 7.00 pm, if this falls on a Bank Holiday weekend, then the next Friday after this should be used.

(F) When both A & B teams compete in the same Cup Competition (either section 1 or Section 2) and are drawn to play each other in the first or subsequent rounds they shall play the cup match on their home green.

CUP9:     Any team not sending its full complement of players shall forfeit 21 shots for each absentee. The green must be kept fully occupied as long as the match is in progress, and all players present must play unless the opposing captain consents to a substitute. Any player who is substituted in the draw by a reserve, cannot for any reason subsequently take part as a player.

CUP10:     In all Cup-ties the captains shall toss a coin before the draw is made, and the winner to choose whether his side shall lead with the jack on odd or even ends. The draw is to be done as a shuffled draw.

CUP11:   In the event of a tie in any round of the Competition, the following order of elimination shall apply:

Tie on aggregate – the team with the most winners.

If still a tie – the team with the best winner.

If still a tie – the 2nd, 3rd, 4th best winner etc.

for their competitions.

CUP12:         (A)      All matches, except Finals, 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 laid by any player or players. If at the commencement or during the progress of the game the green shall be considered unfit for play, the captains shall have the power to adjourn the Match. In the event of an adjournment, the shots already scored will count.

CUP13:         (A)      The captain of the winning team shall, on the evening of each contest, forward the score sheet to the Fixtures Secretary, such sheet to bear the signature of the captains of the respective teams. Teams not forwarding their team sheet to be in the hands of the Fixtures Secretary by the first post on Wednesday following the scheduled date of the Competition will be fined £10.00.

(B)      All team sheets shall additionally be completed to include the player’s BCGBA Registration Numbers and a statement to the fact that they are authentic.

(C)      Any club which fails to satisfy these requirements will automatically generate a fine of £10.00.

CUP14:      The Fixtures Secretary must be informed immediately of any matches not played, in accordance with CUP8-C. Postponed games must be played within 7 days of the scheduled date on dates to be mutually arranged by the teams concerned, and in the case of a dispute, the Competitions Sub-Committee shall set a date. Any team which does not conform to the Competitions Sub-Committee’s decision will be eliminated from the competition.

CUP15:         (A)      The playing of an unregistered or otherwise ineligible player, as determined by the Fixtures Secretary or the Competitions Sub Committee, shall be deemed an offence, the penalty for which shall be a £10.00 fine for each offending player and, if committed by a winning team, elimination from any further part in the competition. If the offence is committed by a losing team a further £10.00 fine shall be imposed. If it is proven by the Competitions 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(s) shall be liable to be debarred from all association competitions for twelve calendar months from the date of the offence.

(B)     No player shall be eligible to bowl on a Cup green venue as a member of a visiting side in any Cup Matches if he/she is a member of the host venue club. 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.

CUP16:         (A)      All Clubs in the Association are expected to make their green available to the Competition Secretary on the dates of the Cup games, prior notice of use will be given. Those clubs failing to allow use of their greens will be fined £10.00.

(B)     All Clubs on whose green a Cup Tie is scheduled shall provide not less than six jacks of BCGBA ‘Standard’, such jacks to have distinguishable bias marks, also six mats (Footers) with diameter measurements of not less than 128mm (5ins) and not more than 154mm (6ins). They must also provide a tape measure of not less than 19 metres in length. Clubs are also requested to make available any other equipment, scoreboards, chalks, etc., which they themselves would consider necessary for the smooth running of such a competition. Where it is established at an enquiry that a club has failed in this duty a fine of £10 will be payable.

CUP17:      In the event of the unfortunate death of a player during the course of a match:

(A)      the match shall be adjourned forthwith and shall subsequently be continued as provided for by rule,

(B)      the scores of the deceased player and his opponent and the scores of other incomplete games shall be maintained pending continuation, and

(C)      the deceased player may be replaced on the date of the mutually agreed continued game by another eligible player.

CUP18:     The Competitions Sub-Committee shall have the power to deal with any matter which is not covered by these Rules.

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