Costa Blanca Umpires & Markers Association
CBUMA
5. Before the game starts
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Equipment
1. Ensure that you have your Markers kit with you. It should comprise:
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Law Book
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String Measure
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Chalk &/or spray chalk
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Wedges
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Spare Scorecard
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Pen or pencil
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Cloth
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Coin
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White card
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Watch with sec. hand
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2. Ensure the umpire's kit is available and that there is a 23 metre tape, a mirror and a ditch measure
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3. Ensure that the equipment for the match is to hand - mats, jack, trolleys, ditch markers
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4. Ensure the rink markers are upright
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5. Ensure the scoreboard is set to zero
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6. If there is no umpire and competition stickers are being used, ensure there is only one set of stickers on the bowls being used by the players (Law 52.1.8.2).
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Preamble - what is this?
Before the start of the game you should introduce yourself to the players and determine the following:
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Whether they wish you to toss the coin to determine who has the option to take mat for the first end (Law 5.2.2 ) - make sure you have a coin in your markers kit
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That you will “answer any specific question…” (Law 42.2.5-7) to players in possession of rink” (Law 13) In the past, answers were required to be very specific but this has relaxed somewhat. So if a player asks if they are 1 down and they are in fact 2 down or holding shot the marker can inform them of this. A player may also ask what the situation is, giving the marker scope to describe the head as necessary.
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How you relay distances - Metric or Imperial and/or by demonstrating
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That you will remove dead bowls with their permission
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Whether they would like you to measure for them as and when requested
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That you will mark touchers, and remove marks non-touchers, as soon as come to rest (Law 15)
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If a player intends to fire that they please inform or signal to the you
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Trial Ends are part of the game but not the start of the game - see Law 5.1
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During the trial ends the marker can give distance information unsolicited
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Once the jack has been centred the distance between the mat and the jack may not be changed. However, a player can ask the marker to stand in a different place on the green for them to bowl to - trial ends only.
Click on this button for a printable checklist for
the markers kit and preamble to keep in your kit bag.
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