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 saturation 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 saturation 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 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 must be replayed.  How ?? It could be continual play in the next direction of play or It could be all the bowls played returned to the starting "Mat" position for replay.  Yes it usually happens when the jack is knocked out of bounds.  However, Burnt ends or replayed ends can also be when the score is 0 for the measurement and at this time the scorecards are so marked. Most accident or actions of play which resulted in the End being restarted and replayed can be performed without problems.  (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.

Saturation as it occurred.    The neighbouring team called for a Umpire.  Where ny opponent skip was an Umpire but playing in our game; he said.. "No I don t get involved when I am playing a game"  So the organizer did the measure.. She just had an eye operations a few weeks earlier in the week and not being able to make a decision and no umpire available; she declared  that the measure was the same or  she was not able to make a decision.  One of the skip asked. "Do we we replay the end" to which she repled; "No just mark zero on each side"  (This decision by the organizing person would have  cancelling a " No burnt end"  condition of play if it had been announced because when you mark a Zero for an end in a tournament; you have marked a "burnt end" which happens when it is not re playable. (weather has stopped play without the instructions of "Finish your end" or "Leave Bowls and Stop Play"; which identify how to stop play for the moment.

     I advised one of the skip involved, after the game was completed that he had the right to ask for another official (or individual if no official was available) to measure..  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,