LEAGUE RULES - Page 3
COMPLETED MATCHES
25) (a) The Team Captains shall forward
the completed score sheets in respect of all home matches played to the
Match Secretary, within five days of the match being completed.
Home
teams whose score sheets have not been within 5 days, will be
fined 2 points. An additional 5 point fine will
be imposed for a scorecard not received after fourteen days. The
match day is day 0. Example- for a match played on
Monday day 5 is Saturday.
(b) Following an initial warning, a fine of 1 point may be imposed on
both teams for any scorecard that is substantially incomplete or
incorrect.
26) Any appeals against decisions of the Match Secretary must be made
within two weeks of the Club having been informed of the decision or the
match results having been posted on the web. Appeals must be submitted
to the Chairman, in writing or by email and will only be accepted from
either the Team Captain or the nominated Club Contact.
CONDUCT OF MATCHES
27) One 'Home' and one 'Away' match shall be played between each team
within the same Division. Matches shall consist of four doubles rubbers,
there being four players in each team. Each rubber shall be the best of
three sets, a tie break (first to seven by two clear points) to operate
at six games all. If a rubber goes to a third set, that set will consist
of a championship tie break (first to ten by two clear points). Each set
shall count as one point.
28) The Home team must provide a minimum of six new balls for each
match. All balls must correspond to LTA standard and must be of the
current year of manufacture. The Home team decides which courts
(surface) a match is to be played on. The away team Captain may choose
the order of play, eg 1st pair vs 1st pair, or 1st pair vs 2nd pair and
which pairs play on which court. At the end of the first rubbers, the
away team shall stay on the same courts. The match must be completed on
these courts unless otherwise agreed by the Captains.
29) Evening matches shall normally commence at 6.30 pm and all players
shall be in attendance at that time. Week-end matches to start no
earlier than 10.00am. However matches may commence at a
different time, if this is agreed by the clubs before the beginning of
the season. The Match Secretary must be informed by the home and away
team on the fixture confirmation form (see Rule 18) if the agreed
starting time is anything other than 6.30 pm. Unfinished or un-played
sets will be scored 6-0 in the event of matches being unfinished due to:
a) The late arrival of one or more members of one of the participating
teams.
b) (i) A player being unable to continue due to injury or other
unavoidable cause. If one or more members of one of the
participating teams are not able to commence play within 30 minutes of
the appointed starting time, the offending team or teams will forfeit
one set for each affected rubber. If play does not commence within 60
minutes of the appointed starting time, the affected rubber(s) will be
forfeited.
ii) The match will be forfeited if any player(s) is (are) not available
to play either 60 minutes after the appointed start time or by the time
that the first rubber has been completed, whichever is the later.
iii) Failure of a team or teams to fulfil a fixture, due to the
non-arrival of one or more members or by failing to comply with Rule 18
in respect of postponed fixtures shall result in the non-offending team
being awarded the match 8-0, sets being scored 6-0. In addition the
offending team shall be fined 4 points for the first such occurrence of
the season, 8 points for the second.
iv) If neither team has four eligible players able to play within 60
minutes of the scheduled start time, no points will be awarded for the
match and both teams shall be fined as above.
The Executive Committee, however, has the right when a written appeal is
made on the basis of exceptional circumstances to either (a) order the
match to be re-arranged or (b) waive the deduction of points. The
decision of the Executive Committee is final. Matches unfinished at the
end of the season will be scored on the number of completed sets.
30) a) If in the event of rain, bad light, or any other unavoidable
cause, a match cannot be completed, then
(i) Where both the first 2 rubbers (see rule 27 for definition) have not
been completed the match shall be deemed to have not started and shall
be re-arranged as per rule 18.
(ii) If the first 2 rubbers have been completed the match will be
treated as unfinished. Uncompleted sets shall be continued at a later
date, re-starting where they are left off. The date for the match to be
completed must be mutually agreed so that the same players participate.
c) If a player involved in the match becomes injured and is unable to play for the rest of the season, then, in agreement with the opposition captain, a substitute may be used but must be from a lower team unless this is the club's lowest team. The Match Secretary to be notified of the date the match is to be completed or replayed, as in Rule 18.