HOME COUNTIES BOWLS ASSOCIATION

UNDER 25'S

(Updated April 2024)

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1.  Counties are invited to enter a side of 12 players of any gender mix under 25 years of age, playing on       a league basis.

2.  Where six or more counties enter the competition, it will consist of two leagues.

     A West league, comprising of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire,                             and an East league comprising of Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex.

    Counties will play against other counties in their respective league's, home or away in alternate years.

    League membership may need to be modified to reduce the distance travelled to matches,                        depending upon the entries for that season, e.g. Four entries from one league, two from another.

3. Where five or less Counties participate in the league, each side will play each other once in that                season, with fixtures reversed the following year.

4.  Games will be of THREE fours of 21 ends and shall be played on Sundays, on dates previously agreed       betwen the Counties.

5.  Venues for matches shall be chosen to attempt to avoid undue travelling difficulties for the opponent.

6.   All matches shall be completed by the Sunday of week 32.

7.   League winners will be the County with the most points.

      In the event of a points tie, the winner will be the county with the highest shots difference.

      In the event of a shots difference tie, the winner will be the winning county when the sides played in          the league fixture.

8.   When East and West leagues are invoked the winners of each league will contest the final on a green          selected by the HCBA, on the Sunday of week 35.

     Total shots scored will decide the winner.                                                                                       

     In the event of the overall scores being level after 21 ends, each rink will keep playing until there is a         shots difference.

9.  The side of 12 players shall be of any gender and shall be members of Clubs affiliated to their County         Association and shall not have attained their 25th birthday on April 1st in the year of competition.

     Individual rinks can be made up of any gender mix.

10. Each County shall provide a written Team Sheet for the opposing County prior to the commencement          of the match.

11. The method of scoring shall be by the award of points as follows:                                                            4 points for an overall win.            2 points for an overall draw.                                                                2 points for each winning four.       1 point for each drawn four.

12. The home County shall be responsible for the provision of the green and for the services of Umpire.

13. In the event of adverse climatic conditions, and subject to the agreement of the two Team                       Managers,  or on appeal to the Umpire, if a total of 30 ends or more have been completed then the           actual score at the time of termination of the game shall stand as the result.                                             If less than 30 ends have been completed, then each county shall be awarded 5 points.

14.In the event of a County being unable to field a minimum of 9 players for the match, then the County         shall forfeit the match and have all its results expunged.

     Any side only having between 9 and 11 players shall put out a combination of rinks and triples.

    In a triple the Lead and Two shall bowl three bowls each and the rink will lose 25% of its total shots,          including decimal points.

15, Players who fail to appear punctually at the time appointed for the match shall be disqualified unless,        if in the opinion of the umpire, there is a reasonable explanation for the delay.

16. Results of matches: The home team representative is responsible for sending the Result Card to the          HCBA League Manager by email within 24 hours of the match being played.

17. The League winners shall receive the Millenium Junior Trophy (presented by Bill Hatto).

18. Any matter arising and not covered in these rules shall be referred to the Management Council whose        decision shall be final.

Clarification on travel and match dress.

      Travel arrangements and dress, are the responsibility of the individual County.

      Match Dress,  both in the league fixtures and Final, shall be the County playing dress as stipulated by the                      respective Counties.

      Food will be available for purchase on arrival at the League games and Final.

 

     07.04.2024