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MARKERS COURSE
HOME STUDY MATERIAL

6. During the game

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During the game your duties are as follows:

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  • Centre the jack & ensure it has travelled 23 metres – measurement from mat line to centred jack (Law 42.2, 10.1). Be aware that you have the responsibility to determine whether a jack has travelled the minimum distance - this is not up to the players. They cannot agree to play a jack that you feel is short!

  • If the jack when cast has travelled to a point less than 2 metres from the opposite ditch, it should be placed on the “T” (Law 9.2). Remember that the front of the jack, i.e. the part nearest the players, must be at a distance of no less than 2 metres from the ditch. So, be careful about what the markings on the carpet represent. Where there are no markings, mostly on lawn greens, a 2 metre stick must be used to place the jack.

  • To stand away from the head and to one side, not obscuring rink markers or back bowls. Approximately 4 feet behind and 2 feet to the side of the jack is the best location ensuring you do not cast a shadow over the bowls or jack. Move forward only when necessary to check whether a bowl has touched the jack.

  • Mark touchers (Laws 14 & 15). You may nominate a toucher if marking it could disturb it but as soon as it comes to a position where it can be marked you should do so. Conversely, you can nominate a bowl as a non-toucher where a player has failed to remove the chalk from a previous end. Again, as soon as the bowl is in a position that you can remove the chalk you should do so. Law 15.4 actually states that the singles players should agree for this to happen. In practical terms you would tell the singles players that the bowl has now moved and that you are either chalking it or removing the chalk.

  • The marker can only provide information, not advice, to the person in possession of the rink. So if you are asked which hand to bowl or whether you think their bowl will get round a wing wood, politely inform them that you cannot answer that question!

  • Stop bowls from a neighbouring rink which may hit any bowls or the jack on your rink of play. (Law 37.6.2)

  • Place ditch indicators for the jack or live bowls in the ditch.

  • A marker should not stop a bowl from entering the ditch. If the bowl is travelling at speed let it travel into the ditch and replace the jack, or any toucher that is moved which was at rest in the ditch, to its former position. If the bowl is travelling slowly, you may put your hand underneath the bowl as it drops off the rink, to stop it disturbing the live items in the ditch. Do not stop it while it is actually still on the rink!

  • Watch out for players playing the wrong bowl (happens less these days with coloured bowls) or players playing out of turn. In a singles game, playing out of turn often happens when the jack has been returned as it was illegally cast by the first player. If you see either of these events about to happen shout to the player to stop. If you are unable to stop it from happening make sure you know where to look in the law book about how the situation is rectified (Law 29).

  • At the completion of an end stand clear and let the players decide the shots. Do not comment. Place the trolley for the players and tidy away any ditch markers.

  • Remember the 30 second law. After the last bowl of an end has stopped any player can ask for 30 seconds to elapse before any bowl is chocked. (Law 23.1) They must ask immediately and the marker must time the 30 seconds. This is why a watch with a second hand should be part of your markers kit!

  • Enter the score on the scorecard and scoreboard. In order to keep the game flowing it is usual for the marker to ask the players to turn the board where there is just one at one end. Where boards are being used at each end determine if the players want you to turn the board or whether they will. However, beware! Ensure the board agrees with your card at all times and tell the players the score.

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