Veterans League
With it being Easter Monday and plenty of spare dates for the Veterans 6-Man League there are no fixtures scheduled for the Bank Holiday weekend. However I have been looking at the implications for the League and how the situation with one team in Division 3 being allowed to play their matches on Fridays.
The Thongsbridge 'C' team have entered the League but clearly with only one green and three teams that creates a clash. I don't think there is a problem with that, it is within the rules and anything that enables more bowlers to play matches gets my support but I have a query of how that situation fits in with another League rule.
Can the Thongsbridge 'C' include players in their matches who have played for their 'A' or 'B' team on the previous Monday? What is to stop Thongsbridge playing the same team for their 'A' team and 'C' team fixtures? Clearly they could only do that when they have a Friday home fixture.
I have looked at the League Rules and I cannot find anything to stop them from doing that. I am not suggesting they would but why wouldn't they if the rules don't provide for such a situation.
The only rule I can see that might be interpreted to influence that outcome is under Section 2: Registrations which says:
2d) No player can play twice on the same day. Any infringement of this rule will result in a loss of 21-0 in both games involving that player.
Now players are not actually playing on the same day but they are playing in the same week in what is usually a Monday League. Maybe there is some other wording somewhere which covers the situation and if so I am sure someone will advise me.
It is not just Thongsbridge that could take advantage of this of course. Their Friday opponents each week could, I believe, also play for another club team in the same week and are all the Division 3 teams familiar with anything stopping them doing that?
I didn't know how this was being covered in the League Rules so I asked the League. The response I got is below.
The Thongsbridge C home matches are effectively on rearranged dates. Whilst this has been done in advance of the season starting, Playing of Matches Rule 1a applies, in particular:
"Where a match has to be re-arranged the date must be agreed within 7 days of the original date and the match must be played within 28 days of the original date. In any event the League Secretary must be informed. In re-arranged matches players having played in other teams on the original date, cannot play in the rearranged game. In the case of a dispute, the matter is to be referred to the committee whose decision will be final."
That means that no bowler can play for two different teams in the same week when involved in a Friday match for, or against, Thongsbridge 'C' in the 6-Man League. Anyone doing so will have a 0-21 score registered again them in both of those matches.
That all makes sense to me but I just wondered if all the Division 3 teams have been made aware of all the implications of playing Thongsbridge 'C' away on a Friday and how it could end up costing them points if they are not aware. Maybe drawing their attention to it here will help share that guidance and prevent some unwelcome repercussions later in the season.
There's quite a simple way to avoid any confusion and that is to have all the fixtures numbered. I know of a few leagues that have been doing it this way for years and there are no grey areas. The Huddersfield Liberal league have adopted this system for this season after some confusion regarding a fixture last year.