As you are very much aware we have the go ahead to open and start bowls, this is aligned with HM Government roadmap and dates, which may possibly move. We (as in Bowls Northumberland) are awaiting further details from Bowls England (BE), which is due out later this month – this will include details of “Return to Play Guidance”, and also details of the national championships, as well as Inter-County competitions (i.e. Middleton Cup, Balcomb and Walker Cup).
In the meantime BE have put together the plan for the season and the national finals (BE NEWS Article – Season Planning).
This year the national finals will be completely mixed, and held over a shorter time frame. The provisional dates are Thursday 19th August to Sunday 5th September 2021. At this stage there is no schedule, the only details I know it will be completely mixed. The schedule will hopefully come out later this month (22nd). To enable the finals to be played over this period there is a probability that 3 rounds will be played per day.
In addition the format of games have also changed (in order to fit in to the schedule) and these formats will be at both County and at the National Finals, and these are: –
- Singles – 4 Bowls – 21 up
- Pairs – 3 Bowls – 18 ends
- Triples – 2 Bowls – 18 ends
- Fours – 2 Bowls – 15 ends (if we are allowed)
- 2 Bowl Singles – 2 bowls – 21 ends
With a refined and shorter national finals it means that only the COUNTY WINNER will qualify (35 counties in total) plus the counties (13) with the highest entries per competition will receive an extra entry – thus making up to 48. I don’t think we will be one of the counties getting an extra entry unfortunately.
Currently there will be a strict attendance limit at the national finals, and the finals for spectators will be ticketed. Further details on this will be given once known.
Bowls England (BE) have informed all counties that no refunds will be given if players don’t want to go along with the revised rules, they will only give refunds if there are no rounds of competitions played due to HM Government guidelines and instruction not to play from BE.
I will continue to update you when further information is known; as I know there are two sets of guidance/documents awaiting – one from Sport England and also DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport), which will outline guidance, play and possible restrictions – which will of course feed into the BE guidance.
Finally information on the county team events will be given when known – i.e. Muras, Alsop, Middleton. On the Muras and Alsop (which are part of the Northern Counties programme) I hope to advise you later this week on the position on both of these cups.