No Burnt Ends Discussion (NMem)

 Over the last 15 years of Lawn Bowls Blogs some older blogs keep getting a surprising large volume of Views/Visit. The photo of Barefoot bowls (Australia) is the relax bowls rules and social side of Lawn Bowls. But a competition should always be as per Lawn Bowls rules. Social and Competition are different and with respect to the players involved should each have their own standards of respect.

This is a redo of a 2012 Blog where probably at a club coaching session it was discussed and drew a lot of visits by New Lawn bowls members. 

 In a club Tournament play, the term "Burnt ends" means that if the "End of play is not "nil point end" or the bowls are "of equal distance" during a final measure; it must be allowed to continue and replayed unless because of a condition which does not allow for it return to play. Maybe there was a situation where "all of bowls to be replaced (as near as possible to the original position) and then play continued". 

Sometimes the bowls can not be returned to as-it-was prior to the stop of play. Very often this happens by error. When the jack goes out of bounds during play, and it can be spotted on a "Re-spot" as per the 'Condition of Play" and afterward the game play is allowed to continue. The condition of play are required by World Bowls Rules to be announced by the tournament Direction, or written in the "Condition of Play" prior to the game. Very often in the announcement of  the Tournament 'Condition of Play" it simple says - "No Burnt Ends" and "Single Re-spot" or "Duel Re-spot".(which is frequent for indoor bowls). Under these conditions a "Burnt End",  must be replayed and the jack re-spotted as per rules.

   Now, I present a situation of the weekend Triple (social-wise) Tournament.  I say social wise because, although organized and presented by the Provincial Bowls Organization, it did not have an on-greens official and it was made up of 12 teams with several Social Players.  (Social, in that they seldom play in the organizated tournament games)
 

  First, a Burnt end usually means no score and is considered to have been played.  How do you replay an end of play ?? It could played as "continual play" which continues in the next direction of play: or It could be, that all the bowls played are returned to the starting "Mat" position for replay. (This usually happens when there are still bowls at the mat to be played)  Yes, onr would think that "a replay end"  usually happens when the jack is knocked out of bounds.  However,  a "Burnt end" occurs when the score is 0 for the measurement and at this time the scorecards are so been marked. Most accident or actions of play which resulted in the End being restarted and replayed can be performed without problems by using the re-spot or the skips agreeing on a solution.  (ex: An opponent player interfered with the jack movement during a jack roll) Generally, the skips do not agree on a solution like where to place the jack or bowls and therefore that end of play is simple replayed.

Situation as it occurred.    Our neighbouring "Green" team called for a Umpire and there was no Umpire allocated to the game. Because ny opponent skip was an Umpire, he was asked to make the decision  but because he was playing in our game; he said.. "No I don t get involved when I am playing in my game"  So the organizer did the measuring.. She just had an eye operations a few weeks earlier and not being able to make a decision and no umpire available; she declared  that the measure was the same.

 When asked about not able to make a decision by one of the skip, "Do we we replay the end" to which she replied; "No just mark zero on each scorecard"  (This decision by the organizing person would have  cancelled a " No burnt end"  condition of play which was generally used in Provincial competition. If a condition of Play announcement had stated "No Burnt Ends", then to mark a Zero for an end in a tournament would have created a problem.

There may occur times that you have to  mark a "burnt end".(mention above) Generally, when a jack  is not  playable for some reason there is an indication of how or when the game will be restarted.. (If weather was to have stopped play without the instructions of how to stop) Often the stopping of a game for lighting or storm will be followed by  "Finish your end" or "Leave Bowls and Stop Play Immediately". Such actions happen and identify how to stop play for the moment.

I advised, after the game, one of the skip involved,  that he had the right to ask for another official (or individual if no official was available) to measure; when the person could not defind the actual point..  Of course, suggested  that at the time of measure,he word his request like "Do you mind if I ask ...so and so... to measure?"  Also, I suggested that it was not a burnt end and should have been replayed. (which has always in the past been the condition of play for these tournaments)

In the asking of an umpire, it is automatically recognized that it means the acceptance of the decision by the umpire at the end of the measure. Otherwise any decision must be agreed by both skips if no umpire is available or defined by the organizing committee of the tournament.

  However, in no umpire is available, and the organizer, in attempting to do their best to solve the problem has overstep their role as organizer; the skips discuss that decision and know that they can refuse that person as umpire and ask someone (experience skip) to measure,