The Cambs League Rules 2017
The Cambs League is a competition organised by The CSMBA for the benefit of its affiliated clubs and their members and will be played in accordance with the current rules of The ESMBA “Laws of the Game” supplemented by CSMBA rules.
1. Teams and Team Structure
Before registering/entering a team into The Cambs League, a Club must ensure that its team or teams have sufficient players and reserves necessary to fulfil its fixture commitments. This is an essential requirement for entry into The Cambs League.
(a)An entry form for the forthcoming League season will be sent to all club secretaries. The entry fee set by the committee and the completed registration form should be returned to the League Secretary at a date set by the committee. The registration form must be signed by the team’s club secretary and this person, or their successor, is the only individual who may withdraw a team (should it become necessary) during the League season. A letter or e-mail explaining the reason for the withdrawal will be sent to both the League and Association Secretaries.
(b)A player or players eligible to play may be added/substituted prior to the commencement of a match by their captain who should endorse the result sheet by signing alongside the player(s) names. Any team subsequently found to have fielded an ineligible player will forfeit the game and the opposing team will be awarded the full 12 match points and 30 shots.
(c)Players can transfer to another team in their own club, or another club if that clubs domestic rules so permit, providing that they have not already played for the team for which they are registered. The committee may relax this rule for players who move or change clubs.
(d) When a new Team enters the Cambs League it will automatically go into the lowest division for its first season.
(e) At the commencement of the new League season 2 teams in Division 2 will be promoted to Division 1 and 2 Teams in Division 1 will be relegated to Division 2. The Committee reserve the right to alter this rule to keep the size of each Division similar in number.
2. Fixture Arrangements & Simple Rules
(a) A delegate from each registered League Team will be invited to attend a pre-season Fixture meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to establish and fix the dates of League games with the delegates of opposing teams.
(b) It is imperative for delegates to have consulted with their club secretary and registered players on matters such as venue availability, team members holidays and other conflicting and already arranged events such as competitions etc. that will have a bearing upon the population of the forthcoming season’s fixtures. Delegates will be required to submit a list of fixtures to the League Secretary before they leave the fixture meeting.
(c)Any amendments to these fixtures, if needed, must be made within 28 days of the fixture meeting and should have the agreement of the opposition. The League Secretary and the opposition Team Captain must be notified in writing of the change.
(d)After the expiration of the 28 days any fixture changes can only be made with the agreement of both Teams who must advise the League Secretary in writing or email stating the reason for changing the fixture. This should only be done in the event of adverse weather conditions on match date, illness or unavailability of the regular club venue. Absence for holidays will not be considered as a legitimate reason for change. The League Secretary will consider any amendments to the original fixture before agreeing the match can take place.
If after having changed the date of this fixture it is deemed that it is still not possible to play the fixture on the re-arranged date already agreed, the offending team will be fined 6 Points and 15 Shots as well as a 100% contribution toward any extra revenue costs which the non-offending team may have incurred, unless there is a justifiable reason. This game must still be played before the close of the League season.
(e)The Home Team Captain must confirm with the Away Team Captain that their scheduled fixture is to go ahead 7 days prior to the fixture date. If the Away Team Captain has not been contacted by 3 days before the fixture date, then they must contact the Home Team Captain for confirmation.
(f)If fixtures have to be postponed through illness, which reduces the team below 4 players, inclement weather making it unsuitable and unwise to travel or the unavailability of the home venue, then the games must be re-arranged within 14 days by the home team offering 3 dates for the re-arranged fixture. Should the postponement occur in the months of March or April then the fixture must be played before the close of the season on the 30 April.
(g)If a Team postpones or fails to turn up at short notice and can offer no justifiable or reasonable explanation for the postponement or why they failed to advise the other Team, then the offending Team will, subject to ratification by the Management Committee and if appropriate, be liable for the venue costs due to the postponement as well as 12 Points and 30 Shots awarded to the non-offending Team. In addition the scheduled fixture will be considered to have been played.
(h)Each team will play each other home and away and games should be spread out evenly throughout the season, with the recommendation that 50% of the games are played before the 31 December. Teams from the same Club and in the same division must play both games (Home and Away) before the 31 December.
(i)Games will normally be played when the home team has the use of their facilities with a start time agreed between the team Captains. Evening games must start by 7.15 pm. It is however recognised that some clubs – due to high member numbers – may need to hire a venue to play a game on a day other than a club day; clearly this incurs extra cost, something which should be borne in mind if and when a team could be contemplating a postponement.
(j)All games must be played by 30April. Any team failing to complete their fixtures in time will be deducted 10 points.
(k)Any teams having problems in completing their fixtures in time must contact the League Secretary who with the Committee will attempt to re-arrange the fixture. This may be at a neutral venue with the cost being met by the two clubs and then only after having discussed the reason for the original postponement. Anything which is perceived to be pertinent and occurs outside of these simple rules should be immediately brought in writing to the attention of the League Secretary.
Teams Captains are requested to copy-in their respective Club Secretary’s with any correspondences to the League & General Secretaries.
(l)The Home Teams will be responsible for venue hire fees. Tea coffee and biscuits should also be provided and served between the second and third disciplines.
(m)Home Team Captains are responsible for sending results to the League Secretary; these must be signed by both the Home and Away Captains. Please ensure that if an unregistered player has been played the face side of the result sheet is also completed as earlier mentioned. The completed result sheet must be received by the League Secretary within 7 days of the match. Non-compliance will result in a 2 point deduction. The Away Captain should retain a copy of the result sheet.
3. DRAW
(a)Prior to the draw, the mats/rinks to be used for the game will be marked 1 and 2. If a second game is running concurrently then the adjacent mats will be marked 3 and 4 with the captains of the away teams being advised of the appropriate mats/rinks for their game.
(b)Both the home team and away Captains will place their 6 scorecards with players names face down on the table, marking the reverse side with S (singles) – P (Pairs) – T (Triples). The home Captain will then select one of the away team’s cards of each discipline and then the away team one each of the home teams; these games will be played on mat one, the other two cards will for the game on mat two.
(c)The captains will toss to start the game with the winner having the option of playing first or second on all rinks.
4. ARRANGEMENT OF PLAY
(a) Matches will consist of three disciplines, 4 wood singles, 2 wood pairs & 2 wood triples. All games will be of 12 ends duration, with 2 games each discipline played at the same time. Should a player be unable to attend before the commencement of the match or have to leave early due to reasons out of their control, then the order of disciplines to be played may be altered. If all players are in attendance at the start of the match the order of play must be as per the result sheet.
(b)A substitute may be used during a game through illness to a player. The substitute must not have been playing on adjacent mats prior to the game and be correctly registered.
(c)No player may take part in more than two of the disciplines per match.
5. SCORING
Two points for a win and 1 point for a draw on all rinks with league winners decided on points, shot difference and total shots in that order.
6. PLAYING SHORT
(a)In a team not able to field a full squad an individual player can still only take part in two disciplines. The playing order will be as follows:-
Five Players
2 Single games, 2 Pairs games and 2 Triples with 2 players.
In the triples the playing order will be as follows depending who bowls the first wood:-
Order for team playing first with 3 playersin capital letters.
LEAD Lead SECOND LEAD Lead SECOND SKIP SkipSKIPSkip
Order for team playing second with 3 playersin capital letters.
Lead LEAD SECOND Lead LEAD SECOND Skip SKIPSkipSKIP
Four Players
2 Single games – 2 Pairs games – and 1 Triple with 2 players playing as above.
(b)The team playing short must notify their opponents in advance to allow them time to sort out their teams prior to the match.
7. WINNERS
The winners in both Divisions will be presented with a main trophy to keep for one year and Twenty-five pounds. The runners-up in both Divisions will receive Fifteen pounds. The trophies and prizes will be presented at the Association’s Annual General Meeting.
8. DISPUTES
Any disputes regarding the interpretation of these rules should be addressed to the league and Association Secretaries who will bring them to the attention of the committee. The committee has the authority to adjudicate on such disputes and their decision is final.
The amendment to 2 (d) agreed at the 2017 AGM is shown in bold and italics.
(Revised 19 July 2017)