Revised July 2007
VICTORIAN COUNTRY TENPIN BOWLING ASSOCIATION
COUNTRY CUP
1. PURPOSE
(a) The purpose of the Victorian Country Cup is to foster friendship, sportsmanship and tenpin bowling skills among the Victorian Country Associations.
(b) To conduct an annual tournament, the Country Cup, to determine the best Ladies team, the best Men’s team and the best combined Country Association Team.
(c) To determine annually the best Victorian Country Association representative tenpin bowlers, consisting of five (5) players in the ladies division and (5) players in the men’s division.
2. PARTICIPATION
Participation in the Victorian Country Cup will be limited to one (1) team in each division from the following associations: ALBURY/WODONGA, BALLARAT, BENDIGO, COLAC, GEELONG, LATROBE VALLEY, OVENS & MURRAY, SALE, SHEPPARTON, SUNRAYSIA, WARRNAMBOOL and any other Association invited to participate by a ¾ majority decision of the above member associations.
3. TEAM PLAYERS & OFFICIALS
(a) Each team player must be a registered member, in good standing, of the local association or registered bowling centre they are representing. They will represent the first centre/country association they are registered with and must not reside within a 60 kilometre radius of the Melbourne area.
(b) Team players must live in country Victoria (or Albury) for a period of at least six (6) months prior to the tournament.
(c) Team players must have played on a weekly basis in a recognised TBA league within the local association they wish to represent for at least six (6) months prior to the tournament.
(d) Exemption to these rules must be applied for in writing to the Board, listing all relevant details to be considered.
(e) Each official or non playing member must hold a current TBA registration card and be in good standing.
4. TEAM SELECTION
(a) Teams will be selected by the respective associations in a manner decided by the Board of Directors of that association
(b) Each association secretary must notify the current Tournament Director at least twenty-eight (28) days before the commencement of the tournament the names of all participating members.
(c) The playing strength of the Country Cup teams, in both ladies and men’s divisions, is limited to seven (7) players per team. A line up of any team for any match will not consist of more than five (5) players who must be drawn from the seven (7) registered players, except in cases of emergency.
5. TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR
(a) The host association Tournament Director will be in control of all tournament preparations and the conduct of the matches whilst the aforesaid matches are in progress. They will also engage assistance as they may deem necessary for the successful conduct of the tournament.
(b) Before the commencement of the tournament, the Tournament Director and one (1) member of the next host association and one (1) other member will be appointed to make a total of three (3) members appointed to settle all disputes, protests and emergencies.
6. VENUES & DATES:
The Country Cup will be conducted in accordance with the following calendar:-
2006 BENDIGO
2007 SALE
2008 BALLARAT
2009 ALBURY
2010 SUNRAYSIA
2011 OVENS & MURRAY
2012 WARRNAMBOOL
2013 SHEPPARTON
2014 COLAC
2015 LATROBE VALLEY
2016 GEELONG
(b) Teams will be opposed against each other twice (2) over the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the Victorian Labour Day Weekend in March of each year. Each match will consist of one (1) game series.
7. POINTS SYSTEM
(a) Points will be awarded on the following basis:-
Each team member will be matched against an opposing team member in the corresponding position in the line-up, and the bowler achieving the highest score will win a point for his / her team. In the event of a drawn score one-half (1/2) point will be awarded to each player.
(b) Team total pinfall will be compared with the total pinfall of the opposing team and two (2) points will be awarded to the team with the highest pinfall. In the event of the pinfall being equal one (1) point will be awarded to each team.
(c) At the conclusion of the contest the ladies team with the highest number of points will be declared the Champion Ladies Team of the year. The men’s team with the highest number of points will be declared the Champion Men’s Team of the year. Both Ladies and Men’s scores will be added together and the Association with the most points will be declared the Champion Association of the year.
(d) In the event of two or more teams finishing with equal points, one (1) complete game will be played by those teams finishing equal but only points will count. In the event that a tie should still exist, the tied teams will bowl two (2) frames as a ninth and tenth (9th & 10th) frame, for points, until a tie is broken.
8. LINE-UP
At the start of each game it is the responsibility of the Manager or Captain of the team on the odd numbered lane to declare their team’s line-up. The opposing team then may match this line-up in any way they desire.
9. BYE
In the event of a bye existing, teams will bowl against vacancy scores for points. A vacancy score of 180 for men and 170 for women will apply. (Therefore the scores to win are 181 for the men and 171 for the women.) Where a bye is not bowled, no points will be awarded.
10. ALL STAR TEAMS
At the completion of the competition the five (5) Ladies and five (5) Men with the highest averages over a minimum of two thirds (2/3) of the scheduled games for their division shall be declared the ALL STAR TEAM for the year. Each member of the ALL STAR TEAM will receive a medallion and a bowling shirt. These shirts will have the following printed on them-
V.C.T.B.A. ALL STAR TEAM, YEAR AND BOWLERS NAME, (Colour to be that of the host association), with the total cost of shirts to be equally divided between all country associations.
11. PRESENTATION OF TROPHIES
All trophies will be presented to the Captains of the winning teams immediately after the contest. The trophies will remain in the custody of the Champion Association and / or teams until the commencement of the next tournament.
12. CENTRES WITH OVER TWENTY-TWO LANES
When the Country Cup is contested in a bowling centre with sufficient number of lanes to allow both Ladies and Men to bowl at the same time period, the schedule will be drawn up so as the teams from the same Association play their games on adjoining lanes.
13. CENTRES WITH TWENTY-TWO LANES OR LESS:
When the Country Cup is contested in a bowling centre with twenty-two lanes or less, the tournament will be contested as follows:
SATURDAY & SUNDAY – alternating blocks of four games (men & ladies).
MONDAY – alternating blocks of three games (men & ladies).
At all times the Ladies will bowl first on the even numbered year and the Men will bowl first on the odd numbered year.
14. ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
The HOST ASSOCIATION will present an award to both the Male and Female who have scored the highest single game during the tournament.
The HOST ASSOCIATION will present individual medallions to the members of the winning teams and plaques to the winning Association.
The HOST ASSOCIATION will present individual medallions to the members of the All Star Teams.
15. HANDING OVER OF THE COUNTRY CUP FLAG
Prior to the tournament, the host association must contact the next hosting association and arrange for an official of that association to be at the closing ceremony of the tournament in order to hand over the Country Cup flag to them.
16. DRESS CODE
Ladies may wear dress slacks, skirts or dress shorts, uniform in colour.
Men may wear trousers or dress shorts, uniform in colour, and suitable to all team members.