BOWLING

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 76, 26 September 1914, Page 10

BOWLING

LAWS OF THE GAME One of the most important duties of the Council of the Dominion of New Zealand Bowling .Association was the revision of the laws of the game. This work was relegated to a subcommittee, and as the result of its labours the council will shortly issue to centres the code of rules which will come into force throughout the Dominion. Previously there has been some difference of interpretations of bowling laws, but the adoption of the one set should dispose of the numerous local variations which have occurred in the past. The new laws set" out that bowls must be made of lignum vitae or other approved material. No bowl shall be played which exceeds 3^lb in weight, or is more than 16£ in in circumference. The mention of "other approved material" may foreshadow the .official recognition of the composition bowl, but nothing is definitely stated. The rules in regard to the jack give effect to the general practice in the game. It is noted that if the jack runs into the ditch in the first throw of a game, it shall be placed six feet from the ditch. If thrown less than 66ft from the mat, it shall be moved up to that distance. In all subsequent leads failure to properly throw the jack is penalised, the opposing side getting possession. The most dramatic change is the adoption of the "two feet on the mat" rule. The mat shall be 48in long by 18in wide, and the player, while delivering his bowl, must have a portion or the whole of both feet on the mat. A player, having delivered his bowl, must not follow it further than 10ft from the mat. In the conditions of the game it is provided that a game may consist of a fixed number of points, or the highest score in a fixed number of heads, or a time limit. When a head is dead it shall not count, but shall be replayed. When the arrangement of the game is by heads, drawn heads shall count. No measuring is allowed until ihe head has been played out. After the last bowl stops running a half minute shall be allowed, if required, before measuring or counting the head. When measuring between a bowl on the green and a jack in the ditch, or vice versa, a cord or other flexible material must be used. The rules in regard to rinks detail the duties of each player. The skip has sole charge of the rink, and his instructions must be implicitly obeyed. The skips shall be the judges of all disputed points, and their decision shall be final; if they are unable to agree, the dispute shall be settled by an umpire. The laws regarding dead jacks or bowls, touchers, burned jacks or bowls, appear to be identical with those previously observed. It is provided that when a player plays out of turn either side may stop the bowl and cause it to be played in its proper order. Should it come to rest, the opponents may either allow it to remain or cause it to be replayed in its proper order. A bowl not played in its proper order cannot be replayed if the player in the succeeding position has greened a bowl. When a player, by mistake, plays a bowl belonging to his opponent, it shall be exchanged when it comes to rest for the player's own bowl. If belonging to the player's side, it must remain where it comes to rest, i^o player is permitted to change his bowls during the progress of the game, except witn the consent of the opposing skip. It is enacted that under no circumstances shall a cap or other article be laid on the green, or placed on a jack or bowl, but such article may be held in a position for the guidance of the player. The subjects of bowl-testing and-chal-lenging are exhaustively dealt with. The council fixes the standard bowl or bowls. The duty is cast on managers of tournaments to see that every bowl used bears the recognised stamp or stamps. A bowl used in an association tournament may be challenged by any player. The umpire, if he thinks, it advisable to do so, may take possession of any bowl or bowls, and hand the same to any testing officer of the association. Every challenged bowl in a tournament is to be taken possession of by the committee at the end of the game being played. It is to be tested without unreasonable delay, and returned to the secretary, with a written report of the result of the examination. If the bowl fails in the test the player shall be disqualified for the game in which he was playing when challenged, and the game awarded to the opposing player or team. The owner is not entitled to the return of his bowl until he has paid 5s to the secretary.