PORTISHEAD, PILL AND DISTRICT SKITTLES LEAGUE RULES [pdf version]
1. That the League be called Portishead, Pill and District Skittles League.
2. That the Annual General Meeting at which the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and the Committee be elected, yearly accounts presented and any other business in the interest of the league shall take place during the closed season each year and each club shall be presented by two delegates unless the club is presented on the management committee (in which case only one). A club may have more than two delegates at the meeting but only two can vote.
3. The league authority shall be vested in an annually elected management committee, which shall be responsible for the league programme. All arrangements and disputes shall be decided by them.
4. This committee shall consist of President, Chairman, Vice chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and up to five members of the league.
5. An extraordinary meeting may be called by notification to the League Secretary, signed by the Secretary and Captains of not less six teams.
6. All matches should be played on the date as scheduled except where teams are physically prevented from playing the match, (i.e. double bookings of alley or serious inclement weather), or due the fixture clashing with a funeral or wedding of a team member. Matches can be postponed in other circumstances only where both teams involved mutually agree to rearrange the match for another date.
a. Both teams involved should agree to rearrange the match for another mutually agreeable date; this can be in advance of the scheduled fixture.
b. The League and opposing team Secretary must be given at least seven days notice, (except where the cancellation is due to inclement weather or double booked alleys). If less than seven days notice is given, or if a mutually agreeable date cannot be found, the team responsible for the original postponement will forfeit 10 points unless the match is played and the opposing team, at the discretion of the committee, may be awarded the 22 points.
c. Where the cancellation is due to inclement weather or double booked alleys no game points will be awarded, unless the match is rearranged and played.
d. Any postponed matches must be played no later than 2 weeks after the end of the season.
[Agreed AGM 2019]
7. All players must be registered at least seven days before taking part in any match and a list of registered players must be available for inspection and posted in the alley of the team. Any team playing an unregistered player in a match shall forfeit the match and the 22 points be awarded to the team. Initials only of the players be put on scoreboard.
8. The registration form with a list of players must be sent at least seven days before the season commences to the League Secretary. There shall be no limit to the numbers of players a team may sign, but no player shall be allowed to transfer to another team in the league after the 31stof December unless extraordinary and extenuating circumstances exist in which case he may apply to the Management committee. A transfer form must be signed by the player concerned and both team secretaries. The management committee approval to be obtained for all transfers.
9. Any protest in connection with rules 7 & 8 must be posted to the League Secretary with a fee of £ 5.00. Such fee to be returned if the protest be upheld by the management committee.
10. The home secretary to forward his own result sheet to the League Secretary within seven days of the match being played either by post or by hand. Any home team not forwarding the result slip will lose all points gained form this match.
11. All league matches shall commence at 8.00 PM. unless extraordinary or extenuating circumstances exist and at least two players of each team shall be in attendance at that time. The team not represented at the time stated shall forfeit the points to the opposing team.
12. All league trophies shall be perpetual one and shall remain the property of the League.
13. No ladies or persons under 16 years old shall be accepted as registered members.
14. Matches on all affiliated licensed houses or club alleys to be played with pins and ball approved by the league. Ball 5 inches maximum, 4 ½ inches minimum Pins 10 inches high 4 3/8 inch bulge. Ball to be of a non wooden material.
15. That any team wishing to enter the league for the next season must apply in writing 28 days before A.G.M. to league Secretary.
16. The management committee shall have the power to deal with any matter not provided for by these rules.
17. That the Headquarters of the league be at the discretion of the management committee.
18. That any addition or alteration of these rules can only be made at the A.G.M.
19. Teams not represented at the A.G.M. will be fined £20.00, payable in December.
20. The honorarium to the Secretary/ Treasurer and the committee to be decided at the A.G.M.
21. At least one representative from any team winning trophies must be present at the presentation to receive them.
22.To allow consideration by teams of any contentious items the league Secretary will forward to all team secretaries a copy of the minutes of the last A.G.M. and also an agenda of the next A.G.M. 4 weeks before this meeting is to take place.
23. A complete set of rules must be posted in every alley used by the league.
24. Each season by December, teams will pay in a single payment to the League Treasurer their league fees, any competition fees and any fines. Fees and fines as agreed at the AGM. [League Fees £60 - Agreed AGM 2019]
25. No home alley changes shall occur during the season without the express agreement of the committee. [Agreed AGM 2012]
26. Teams shall consist of twelve players, however, where a team is short of up to two players, the players with the two lowest scores can play again in the last pair, as long as they don't score higher than their first score. If either of the players with the lowest scores are not on the alley for the last pair the next lowest scoring player(s) can play but they cannot score higher than the score of the person they are replacing. [Agreed AGM 2019]
MATCH PLAY RULES
1. All matches to be played with pins and balls which conform to the standard set by the league. This includes cup matches
2. All sections to be all in.
3. Two points awarded for each winning pair plus ten extra points for the overall winning team. In the event of a draw five extra points to each team.
4. All alley and sticker up fees to be met by home team.
5. It shall be the responsibility of the home team to see that a sticker up is present.
6. There shall be two white lines drawn across the alley, the first of these shall be 6ft from the base line which no player may step on or beyond when delivering the ball. The second white line shall be drawn 6ft from the first line over which no ball shall be delivered without touching the ground.
7. Any ball dropping out of the players hand and not rolling beyond the second line shall be allowed to be replayed.
8. Any pin removed from its original position during play but not falling shall be replaced on its spot before the next ball is delivered.
9. If a ball rebounding from the ‘Cush’ or side board knocks down pins, without previously hitting a pin first, those pins shall be replaced on the plate or diamond in there respective positions and the ball deemed as ‘dead’.
10. Captains of teams shall have the right by mutual consent to appoint linesmen before a match is commenced. Pins knocked down by a long ball shall be dead. A long ball is a ball that bounces over the second line on its first bounce.
11. The teams with the highest number of points at the end of the season shall be deemed winner and runners-up respectively. In the event of a tie in any section a play off will be necessary and this will be arranged by the committee. Promotion and relegation will be on a 2 up 2 down basis.
12. If a player knocks down a pin with a ‘no ball’ the object pin i.e. the front pin in front first or in the nominated pin in 4-pin nomination he shall forfeit the remaining ball or balls on that hand. The same rule applies in league and other matches
CUP COMPETITIONS
Front pin first
1. Each player shall strike and knock down his front pin first, and any pins falling before the front shall be deemed as ‘dead’ in the event of a spare all eligible pins shall be replaced on the diamond and dead pins shall remain down.
2. If the front pin is knocked down by another pin it will remain down and the hand will be recorded as a duck.
3. In the event of a draw each team will nominate one player to play six hands to decide the game, if still drawn after this sudden death ups to occur until a winner decided.
4. The secretary of the winning team shall be responsible for forwarding the result of the match to comp secretary within 7 days of the match being played.
5. Fees. As per League Schedule for Alley but sticker up fee to be at rate of the alley that the game is being played on and split between both teams.
Six a side cup
1. As the name implies this is a six player a side competition and match play rules as per front pin first.
Pairs Competition
1. As the name implies this is a pairs competition played on a front pin first basis. [Each pair can consist of 2 players and a reserve.]
2. There is no limit to the number of entries each team may wish to enter.
3. In the event of a draw each player will continue to bowl 3 balls each until a winner is decided.
4. Results to be advised to Competition Secretary by winning team.
Singles Competition
1. As the name implies this is a singles competition played on a front pin first basis.
2. There is no limit to the number of entries each team may wish to enter.
3. In the event of a draw each player will continue to bowl 3 balls each until a winner is decided.
4. Results to be advised to Competition Secretary by winning team.
PHRASELOGY
1. Dead pins. Pins which shall remain down until hand is completed.
2. Policeman. The two pins at the extreme right and left of the diamond.
3. Diamond or plate. Area where pins are set up in designated positions.
PIN MARKINGS (Recommendation Only)
1. Pins shall be suitably marked as set as set out in general rules.
2. Front pin. Red band around top and bottom not less than 2 inches wide.
3. Quarter pins. White bands as front pins except when white plastic are used then bands will be black.
4. Middle pin. White band round the middle no less than 2 inches wide except when white plastic pins are used then the band will be black.
5. It is the responsibility of each team to mark their own pins. Where pins are provided by the alley each team using them must ensure that they are marked correctly.