Metlifecare NZ Masters – 2024 Special Conditions of Play
Metlifecare NZ Masters – 2024 Special Conditions of Play
Metlifecare NZ Masters – 2024 Special Conditions of Play
1 NAME OF EVENT, DATES AND VENUES
a) The name of the event is – Metlifecare NZ Masters
b) The dates for this event are 7-11 October 2024, both dates inclusive.
c) The venues for this event will be clubs in the Bowls North Harbour area with the headquarters green at Browns Bay Bowling Club, 784 Beach Road, Browns Bay Auckland, 0753.
d) This event may be played on both grass and artificial greens depending on what is available at the time. Host clubs, in conjunction with the Event Director where the Event Director is available, are to determine which greens and rinks each game is to be played on.
e) The closing date for entries will be 13 September 2024.
2 GENERAL
a) The “General Conditions of Play” as shown on the Bowls North Harbour website under the Events tab will apply to this event in so far as they may apply.
3 ENTRY CONDITIONS
a) The “Cut-off Date” shall be the first date of the tournament, which is 7 October 2024.
b) All competitors must be a registered member of an affiliated club with a Centre affiliated to Bowls New Zealand, or a registered member of an affiliated club with a National Bowling Authority that is a member of World Bowls;
c) Players are able to play down an age group but younger players cannot play in a higher age group;
d) Players entering “60 –74” events must be 60 years of age or older on Cut-off date.
e) Players entering “75 and over” events must be 75 years of age or older on Cut- off date;
f) Discipline selection is determined on the age of the youngest member of the team on Cut-off date;
g) Players within teams do not have to be affiliated with the same club;
h) All entries are to be made online through BowlsHub via the Bowls North Harbour website and all players will need to have a BowlsHub registration number;
i) Full payment of the entry fee is to be made at the time of entry.
4 EVENT STRUCTURE
Events will be held for the following classifications and disciplines
60 – 74 Years
• Men’s Pairs
• Women’s Pairs
• Mixed Pairs
• Men’s Fours
• Women’s Fours
75 Years and over
• Men’s Pairs
• Women’s Pairs
• Mixed Pairs
• Men’s Fours
• Women’s Fours
a) The final event schedule will be confirmed and published as soon as practical after the closing of entries;
b) The Controlling Body reserves the right to amend the proposed event schedule due to available greens and any other relevant factors.
5 CLOTHING
All players shall whites, club colours or other matching gear which is suitable for playing the game of bowls. This means the same coloured shirts and pants (long or short is acceptable) or skirts. In inclement weather jackets or other suitable outer clothing is acceptable.
For the finals, players will be issued with team shirts, which are to be worn as the outside top garment, weather permitting.
6 PLAYING FORMAT
a) Trial ends are permitted before the starting time of the first game of each playing day and before continuing an unfinished game on another green or day.
b) Teams which have a bye before its first game of the day and, is to play an opponent which has already played a game on the green that day, may practice on any available rink but not on the rink they are about to play on. The bye team may then have trial ends on the rink to be played on and, if it elects to do so, the opposing team may also have trial ends on that rink.
c) Trial ends will also be permitted prior to the start of each game on semi-finals and finals day for players playing their first game of the day.
d) The format of play for each event will be Sectional Play followed by Post Section Knockout Rounds.
e) Game points will be awarded as outlined in Section 10 and section rankings determined as outlined in section 11.
f) Where possible, the number of teams in each Section will be four, with each team playing each of the other teams in their Section once. However, the Controlling Body reserves the right to amend this number for any reason, including but not limited to entry numbers, schedule constraints, green availability or inclement weather.
g) The format of play will be:
I. Pairs: Three bowls per player and 12 ends;
II. Fours: Two bowls per player and 10 ends per game in qualifying play and 12 ends per game in all post section play.
h) There will be no time limit for games being played.
i) If the jack is delivered incorrectly it will be placed on the 2 metre mark and the non-offending team may move the mat as desired.
j) If an end becomes dead for any reason the jack is to be placed on the 2 metre mark or as close as possible to the spot (Law 56.5).
7 ALTERATIONS TO THE PLAYING FORMAT
a) Should a match not be completed, under the Format of Play as in section 6, then the score stands as at the completion of the end in play, provided at least 6 ends have been completed in both Pairs and Fours, on this basis:
I. Sectional matches: If scores are equal the match shall be declared a draw, with game points awarded as per section 10;
II. Post Section matches: If the scores are equal one additional end (or additional ends, if required) will be played to determine a winner.
b) A match that has begun but not been completed for any reason, including but not limited to decisions by the Controlling Body to abandon or cut short matches due to inclement weather, and less than 6 ends in Pairs and in Fours have been completed, shall be deemed a “no result”. In all play each venue will be considered a separate competition venue when applying this rule.
c) The Controlling Body may determine the number of ends required to complete a game depending on the conditions.
d) The Controlling Body reserves the right to alter the format, times of play, greens and venues to suit local unforeseen circumstances.
8 RESTRICTING THE MOVEMENT OF PLAYERS DURING PLAY
a) Players will only be allowed to walk up to the head under the following circumstances:
I. Pairs – the leads, after the delivery of their third bowl;
the skips, after the delivery of their second and third bowl;
II. Fours – the lead, second and third player, after the third player in their team has delivered their second bowl;
the skip, after the delivery of each of their bowls.
b) In exceptional and limited circumstances, a skip can ask that a player walks up to the head earlier than described above.
9 SUBSTITUTES
Substitutes and changes to original team members will be allowed as provided in the “General Conditions of Play” subject to the following conditions:
a) The replacement player must not have already played in the same discipline at this event.
b) A substitution form must be completed for any change to the team after the team has commenced playing their first game in the event.
c) Only players who complete the final match of an event will be eligible for prize money and/or medals.
10 SCORING
Sectional Play
Game points will be awarded during sectional play, as follows:
a) Three points for a win;
b) One point for a draw or no result;
c) Three points, and the following shot allocation for each discipline, for a win by a bye. The average shots for and shots against of any other games in the same section in the same round;
d) No points for a loss;
e) Should a team forfeit a match that has begun and in which less than 6 ends have been completed, the team receiving the win by forfeit will receive the shot allocation listed under section 10 c) or the score at the time of the forfeit, whichever shot margin is greater.
Post Section Knockout Rounds
Game points are not allocated to knockout matches as the winner automatically progresses to the next round.
11 DETERMINATION OF WINNERS
Sectional Winners
Sectional winners will be decided as follows:
a) Highest number of game points scored;
b) If game points are equal, the team with the highest net total shots over all games in the section (shots for minus shots against) will be ranked higher;
c) If game points and net total shots are equal, the team who won the game between the teams that are equal within their section will be ranked higher.
d) If teams remain equal after using the ranking methods described above then the ranking of the teams will be determined by the Jury of Appeal.
12 AWARDS
a) Prize money will be distributed across all events of the Metlifecare NZ Masters.
b) Distribution of the prize money will be made at the conclusion of the players’ last game of the event and will be distributed equally to each team member.
c) Medals will be award to each team member for placing first or second in all disciplines.
13 PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEO AND LIVE STREAMING
a) Bowls North Harbour reserves the right to use any photographs or video taken during this event for future promotional requirements.
b) Select matches at this event may be live streamed or broadcast through Bowls North Harbour’s chosen communications channel at the discretion of the Controlling Body.
14 JURY OF APPEAL
A Jury of Appeal shall be appointed for the purpose of deciding upon any matters not provided for in the Conditions of Play, and/or for dealing with any appeals from decisions made by umpires and/or event staff or volunteers.