Match Rules
WELLINGTON AND DISTRICT POOL LEAGUE – MATCH RULES-28th APRIL 2007.
1) To enable a team to qualify for League membership, the team must be able to provide a home pool table with minimum playing surface of 6’ x 3’, which must be available for use when required for home games.
2) Game rules will be those laid down by the E.P.A., which are in affect from the start of the season.
3) A team must consist of a minimum of 5 registered players and a maximum of 12.
4) A league game will consist of two qualified league teams:
a. Of which no more than 2 playing members from each team are county players except under the following conditions:
i. If an existing registered playing member of a team is selected to play for county during the season.
ii) If more than 2 county players are registered at the start of the season , for the same team as the previous season, because of rule 4 a)i
b. Up to 10 registered players may play at any one fixture, but no one player may play any more than 3 games at any one fixture. Should a team have less than 5 players then the last game in each 5 game section of the score card should be marked VOID and those games forfeited. If a team is short of 2 players the last 2 games in each section shall be marked VOID. A team consisting of less than 3 players does not constitute a team and rule 9 (a,c&d) should be enforced.
c. League matches will commence at 8.00 p.m. Any team not represented by 8.15 p.m. will forfeit one game and one game for every 10 mins thereafter until 8.45 p.m. at which point the match will be consisered CANCELLED WITHOUT NOTIFICATION thus enforcing rule(9a , c & d).
5) The order of play is that of the official score card, i.e. 3 sets of 5 singles games. Each section should be completed before commencing the next. This order may only be altered at the consent of BOTH captains. Also see rule 10.
6) All fixtures will be played on the date stated, at the venue stated on the fixtures list, unless by agreement of both team captains and notification to and agreement of the fixtures secretary.
7) All players must be registered. Points won by none registered players will be awarded to the opposition. Up to 2 players may register on the back of the scorecard on the night of the fixture, until 3 weeks from the end of the season. Teams with 12 registered players cannot sign on anymore players without first deleting an existing registered player from the team list. Deleted players who have played a match game for a team are not allowed to reregister or transfer to another team during that season.
8) No transfer of players is allowed during the playing season, unless at the committees discretion. The season shall run from pre-season captains meeting to completion of the end of season competitions.
9) Cancellation of fixtures. a. Cancellation of a fixture without notification will be deemed Gross Misconduct and fineable:
i. 1st offence £10,
ii. 2nd offence £20
iii.3rd offence – Team expelled from league (see rule 14)b. Cancellations notified to the opposing team before 7.30pm on the night of the fixture will not be finable but rules 9c & d will apply
b. In all cases cancelling a match will result in a 3 point deduction from the cancelling teams existing accumulated score, regardless of the reason for cancelling the match.
c. In all cases the match must be played within 21 days or within 8 days of the end of the season which ever is sooner. Failure to do so may result in the committee deciding on the penalty for the offending teams and the result of the match (i.e. points awarded).
10) The home team will fill out the score card first on the night of the fixture.
a. The captain of either team reserves the right to enter the players names on the card one at a time on the first 2 of the 5 games sets. On the last set of 5 games the home captain must complete all five entries at the start of that set. The away captain must also complete the last 5 entries.
b. The away team players should be entered on the score card without repeating a pairing from a previous game.
11) The WINNING team must return the score card to the web co-ordinator, no later than 12.00 noon Sunday following the fixture. Failure to do so will result in the deduction of 3 points from existing accumulated score .
a. 1st offence - £1.00
b. 2nd offence - £2.00
c. 3rd & following offences - £3.00
d. Responsibility for the score card remains with the WINNING team.
12) Match referees may be appointed with the consent of both captains.
13) If a team changes team name, captain or venue between one season and the next, it will be considered the same team as far as league status is concerned if 4 or more players from the previous season are signed for the new team for the new season. League status is defined as a team which qualified for promotion or qualified by league table position at the end of the previous season for first or premier divisions. Only genuinely new teams will be entered as a new team in the lower division.
14) A team expelled, withdrawing or failing to complete fixtures will be deleted from the division and all points previously awarded to opposing teams will be subtracted. The team may also be refused entry to the league in the future.
15) Players not fulfilling their singles and doubles knockout commitments without notice may have their entries refused in future competitions.
16) Any appeals in connection with any penalties or fines should be made in writing to the League Secretary, together with a £1.00 deposit which, may be forfeited as the committee sees fit. All appeals will be dealt with at the next captains’ meeting or AGM which ever is sooner.
17) In all competitions and match games, a toss of the coin will determine the first break. During competition games, every game thereafter will alternate. There will be no need to toss a coin again, even if the score is drawn at any point in the game set.
18) No discussion between doubles players is permitted during competition games, once the first ball has been struck at the start of a visit.
19) If the committee considers that any of the rules herein have been misused or abused then they will take it upon themselves to take whatever action they consider necessary. In all cases the
Committee’s decision is final and binding.
Changes adopted 2007:
Amended rule 9 - Deduction of 3 points from accumulated score for cancelling a match for any reason.
Amended rule 10 – Clarify not repeating pairings of players in any game.
Amended rule 11 – Amend wording of points deduction and increase deduction to 3 points in total.
Added rule 13 – Rule removed from within rule 4 to separate rule and clarified.
Added rule 18 – Move this rule from within rule 4 to separate rule.