Cradley Heath Badminton League

Rules as at 2010/2011

1.) The league shall play to the laws of The Game laid down by the Badminton Association of England.

2.1) The only valid reason for a fixture to be postponed is the unavailability o court or inclement weather.
2.2) An original fixture may be only re-arranged once, with the consent of both parties. The club requested to make the rearrangement have the right to refuse the request. On the rearrangement being made both clubs must inform the Match Secretary of the revised date within 7 days.
2.3) Fixtures shall be made at the fixture meeting and fixture lists must be in the hands of the Match Secretary within 7 days of the meeting. Failure to comply will result in a fine.

3.1) Any club changing venue for matches should first obtain approval from the Management Committee.
3.2) If a team captain/secretary is not satisfied with the conditions under which a match had to be played they should make such a complaint to the Management Committee.

4.1) The start times of home Clubs shall be strictly adhered to. If a match starts late, the team at fault shall be fined £2.50.
4.2) “If a match cannot be completed in the court time available because of the late arrival of players from either team any unfinished or unplayed rubbers shall be awarded to the team not at fault. No starting time shall be before 7.00.pm unless by mutual consent.
4.3) Men’s and Mixed Matches – At the stated start time for the match, two pairs from both sides must be available to commence play.
4.4) Ladies Matches – At the stated start time for the match, three players from both sides must be available to commence play.

5.) The use of umpires/scorers and line judges in matches shall be by agreement between team captains. If they disagree then there shall be these officials.

6.) Shuttles used in matches shall be of a suitable speed for the hall in which they are being used (BA of E Laws). An adequate supply of shuttles of differing speeds MUST be available at all matches. The choice of shuttle should be at the discretion of the home team and shall be cork based. CLUBS TO STATE IN ADVANCE THE TYPE OF SHUTTLE THEY INTEND TO PLAY WITH THROUGHOUT THE SEASON FOR EACH TEAM.

7.) Any rules particular to individual clubs shall be posted up and the visiting
team notified.

8.) Teams shall comprise as follows;
MIXED 3 men, 3 ladies.
MENS 6 men.
LADIES 4 ladies, nominated 1 to 4 in order of playing ability.

9.1) USING RALLY POINTS SCORING Men’s and Mixed matches shall consist of 9 rubbers. Each rubber shall consist of 2 games to 21 points. When the game score reaches 20 all, the side which gains a 2 point lead first wins that game. At 29 all, the side scoring the 30th point wins that game.
The order of play shall be STRICTLY ADHERED TO UNLESS CHANGED BY MUTUAL CONSENT. The away side to play 1. 2. 3 in order as follows:
(Home side first)
Rubber 1 1v1 Rubber 2 2v2 Rubber 3 3v3
Rubber 4 2v1 Rubber 5 3v2 Rubber 6 1v3
Rubber 7 3v1 Rubber 8 1v2 Rubber 9 2v3
The team winning most games shall receive 2 league points and if a draw results the teams shall each receive 1 point.
9.2) USING RALLY POINTS SCORING Ladies matches shall consist of 6 rubbers. Each rubber shall consist of 3 games to 21 points. When the game score reaches 20 all, the side which gains a 2 point lead first wins that game. At 29 all, the side scoring the 30th point wins that game.
The order of play if all members of both teams are available shall be as follows:
Rubber 1 1&2v1&2 Rubber 2 3&4v3&4 Rubber 3 1&3v1&3
Rubber 4 2&4v2&4 Rubber 5 1&4v1&4 Rubber 6 2&3v2&3
The team winning most games shall receive 2 league points and if a draw results the teams shall each receive 1 point.
If one or both teams fail to have all their players available at the start of the match then the order of play will be from the first rubber that can be played. For example – if home players 1,2,and 3 are available and away players 1 and 3 are available the order of play would be:
Rubber 1 1&2v1&2
Rubber 2 3&4v3&4
Rubber 3 1&3v1&3
Rubber 4 2&4v2&4
Rubber 5 1&4v1&4
Rubber 6 2&3v2&3
No rubbers can be claimed until one side has a full team.
Players shall be numbered 1 to 4 in order of playing strength.
9.3) In the Masters league the teams entered are to be made up of 2 men and 2 ladies all players to be over 40 years of age on the 1st September. USING RALLY POINTS SCORING teams shall play 4 mixed doubles rubbers 1 men’s doubles rubber and 1 ladies doubles rubber all consisting of 3 games to 21 points. When the game score reaches 20 all, the side which gains a 2 point lead wins that game. At 29 all, the side scoring the 30th point wins that game. The team winning the most games shall receive 2 league points and if a draw results the teams shall receive 1 point each.
All other rules of the League apply.
9.4) when play is delayed by missing players see Rule 4.2
(The same rules apply for challenge matches except in the Ladies event where a result must be achieved therefore a 6-6 result will go to aces scored).

10.1) A club entering more than one team in the league shall nominate 6 players [Men’s], 3 ladies and 3 men [Mixed] and 4 ladies [Ladies] for the higher team(s) before the first match of the season is played. Nominations must be in the hands of the Match Secretary before the club’s first match of the season. These players cannot play for a lower team.
10.2) Any nominated player must play in at least 30% of that teams matches. Should unforeseen circumstances arise which may prevent a nominated player from fulfilling their commitment, the club shall immediately send substantial reasons to the match secretary. (It is no longer necessary to play higher teams first with nominations of all players in a team).
10.3) Any other club player may play for a higher team but if any such players play FOUR times in one season for a higher team that person shall be ineligible to play for a lower team in that season.

11.1) No player shall be eligible to play for more than one club in the league competitions.
11.2) A player cannot represent a club unless the player is a subscribing member of that club.
11.3) Any club playing a player or players under a pseudonym or knowing that the player or players are ineligible to play for the club or team, should immediately be fined and all members of that team be banned for the remainder of the season and the team relegated.

12.1) In the event of a player incurring an injury during the course of a match causing that player to retire, a rubber shall be forfeited to the uninjured team. The rubber to be forfeited shall be:
a) the rubber in which the injury occurred if the player was forced to retire before finishing the rubber, or
b) if the player continued to play to the finish of the rubber in which the injury occurred but then retired between rubbers, being unable to carry on, the next rubber in which he/ she should have played.
12.2) If a substitute is to play in the place of an injured player in any remaining rubbers that are not forfeited, a draw shall take place to select two team members from the remainder [Men’s], and these two shall spin to decide the first player to substitute. In a Ladies Match if no reserve is available then all further rubbers in which the injured player is involved shall be forfeited. This is due to the complicated structure of the ladies matches.

13.) Clubs with two teams in the same division must play both matches of which the teams are to play against each other in that season by the 31st December. It is the responsibility of the home team to ensure that the match result is in the hands of the Match Secretary by 7th January. If the result has not been received by that time – both teams shall be deemed to have lost 9-0.

14.1) If any teams within the league fail to play in more than one of it’s matches, all results shall be declared void and the club relegated. The Management Committee reserves the right to decide that a match shall be played when the result of it affects a third club.
14.2) Should a team arrive fielding only one pair, that team would be deemed to have conceded the match. If any match is conceded a point will be deducted.
14.3) If a team arrives with less than a full team a second time in any one season and any subsequent occasion, a point will be deducted.
14.4) If both teams arrive with only two pairs – the match must be rearranged.

15.1) The top two teams in each division shall be promoted, and the bottom two teams relegated.
15.2) The runners up in division 2 and 3 shall have the right to challenge the team finishing bottom but one in the division immediately above them.
The runners up in Div.4a and 4b shall play off for the right to challenge the team finishing bottom but two in Div.3 – the bottom two teams in Div.3 are relegated.
The teams finishing bottom in Div.4a and 4b shall be relegated, but if there are four Div.5 then the bottom two teams from both Div.4a and 4b shall be relegated.
The winners of Div.5a and 5c shall be promoted to Div.4a and the winners of Div.5b and 5d shall be promoted to Div.4b.
The runners up in Div.5c and 5a play off for the right to challenge the team finishing bottom but two in Div.4a and the runners up in Div.5b and 5d play off for the right to challenge the team finishing bottom but two in Div.4b, the exception being the Ladies League, where two 3rd divisions shall be formed and the remainder shall be formed into a 4th division. Challenges shall be as above except substitute 3 and 4 for 4 and 5.
15.3) All challenge matches to be played within 3 weeks of notification of the Match Secretary. All challenge matches to be finished by 20th May].

16.1) Club members must be registered with the League by the 15th September, or before the first match whichever is soonest. Anyone joining a club after that date may only play in a team after being registered in writing 7 days before they are allowed to play for a club, for approval of the Management Committee.
16.2) To be eligible to play in a challenge match a player must be registered by the 1st February and have played at least three times for that team in the season.
16.3) Full names of members must be given for registration.

17.) All league matches to be finalised by 30th April.

18.) The team finishing first in each division shall be awarded the Division Trophy.

19.) Division 1 of the Men’s, Mixed and Ladies shall consist of 9 teams each. In the lower divisions the maximum number of teams shall be 9 and the optimum shall be 6 teams per division.

20.) Affiliation of clubs to the league is a prerequisite for clubs to participate in league activities. All affiliated clubs must pay the League Levy.

21.) The fine for non-attendance at league meetings is £5. This does not apply if an apology is presented.

22.) The League levy shall be £5 per club plus £1 per registered match player. Payment to accompany the Registration List of match players by 15th September or before the first match which ever is soonest. The joining fee for new clubs is £5.

23.1) Home clubs shall be responsible for the completion and sending of the match result sheet to the Match Secretary. Full names of players shall be given. Match sheets are to be received by the Match Secretary within 7 days of the match being played.
23.2) Failure to comply with Rule 23.1 will result in a fine of £5.
23.3) Should a completed match sheet not be received within 14 days of the match being played, the home team shall forfeit all rubbers, games and points gained.
23.4) In the event of a claimed match, the team claiming must complete a result sheet with a brief explanation and submit within the specified period to the Match Secretary.

24.) In the event of a match being unfinished, the home team shall forfeit the remaining rubbers subject to Rule 3.