November 20, 2009

Sherro

I was enveloped with curiosity whilst reading our Vice Presidents recommendation to the Bowls Management Committee regarding the determination of the winner of the Pennant.

Extract from Bowls Management Committee Minutes held on 19 October 2009:

8. General business

8.1 The Vice President tabled a recommendation from the Metropolitan Committee regarding a change to the Pennant and Promotion finals scoring system. The proposal was that in the event of the aggregate being tied; the normal pennant rules of rink wins first shall apply to determine a winner. I.e. no extra end to be played if a team has won on more rinks and the aggregate is tied. The Vice President strongly recommended that the committee consider the recommendation as the Metropolitan Committee felt it was a fairer system. The Bowls Management Committee discussed the likely hood, the ramifications of change and the Laws of the Sport of Bowls. As the proposed change is in conflict with the Laws of the Sport of Bowls, Rule 45.1 the proposal was disallowed.

Having nearly choked on my All-Bran with low fat milk, fresh fruit and yoghurt; I decided to take a look into this mysterious rule. In the event of a drawn aggregate, I would have thought it would be natural that the normal pennant rules of rink wins shall apply to determine a winner.

So off I click into the "Laws of the Sport of Bolws" and find my way to the offending Rule 45.1 which reads:

45 A drawn game in a knockout (eliminating) competition

45.1 In a knockout (eliminating) competition with a fixed number of ends, if the scores are equal when all ends have been played, an extra end should be played to decide the result.

Yep, refers to a "Knockout (eliminating) competition". Since when has Pennants been a knockout (eliminating) competition.

Could someone from the Bowls Management Committee clearly outline how this recommendation contravenes law 45.1

This decision is flawed. The winner of the Pennant in the event of a draw should be the team who scored the most points. That is the basis and standard of our competition.

LENNY KRAJANCIC