Rule Proposals for 2026

The Committee

That Rule 7 (f) be amended as shown.

Existing Rule:

7 (f) In the last two fixture weeks of Division 1 of the men’s and mixed competitions a player must have played for their team or a lower team in at least three league matches in that competition prior to the last two fixture weeks in order to play in any of the last two fixture weeks. Full-time students aged 18 or over, living away from home in term time (who must be registered as such before the 1st July), are exempted from this restriction. Any club having more than one team in Division 1 have their second team exempt from this rule. In Division 1 of the Junior competition, a player must have played for their team or a lower team in at least two matches in that competition prior to the last two fixture weeks in order to play in any of the last two fixture weeks. In all other divisions, with the exception of the Junior League and the lowest team in any club with more than two teams, only players who have played for their club in that competition at least once prior to the last two fixture weeks are eligible to play.

Proposed Rule

7 (f) In all competitions, with the following exceptions, only players who have played at least one league match for their club in that competition prior to the last two fixture weeks are eligible to play in those last two weeks. This does not apply to the Junior League and the lowest team in any club with more than two teams.
In Division One of the men’s and mixed league, only players who have played at least three league matches for their club in that competition prior to the last two fixture weeks are eligible to play in those last two weeks. Full-time students aged 18 or over, living away from home in term time (who must be registered as such before the 1st July), are exempt from this restriction.
In Division One of the junior league, only players who have played at least two league matches for their club in that competition prior to the last two fixture weeks are eligible to play in those last two weeks.

Background: The above rule having been altered at a number of different times, contains an ambiguity. The last sentence is basically the original with exceptions or differences added above. It would be better to start with the original rule and follow on with the exceptions.

Meadow Hill

That MEN’S, MIXED & LADIES’ COMPETITION RULE 6, 2nd paragraph be amended as folloes:

Should any question arise of courts being unfit for play, the decision shall be left to the opposing captains. If both captains agree, then the match is abandoned and the points shared. It shall be the responsibility of the home team captain to inform the Match Secretary should a match be abandoned.
It is not expected that play shall continue in the rain.

Should either captain disagree or the match has started, then it must be played to a result, finishing the match on the first convenient occasion the home courts and the two teams are free. Sets do not all have to be played at the same time on the same day. The match can be conceded at any point.

Background: This rule has caused a few problems. They usually arise when a team chasing promotion faces a team towards the bottom of the table. The higher team wants to play, as there is a good chance of a win and there is a big difference between 1 and 3 points. The lower team, trying to avoid relegation, is happy with one point that they otherwise may not have achieved.

If you think about the old mixed system – if a match was called off, they came back Thursday to play 12 full sets. If they didn’t finish on Thursday, unplayed sets were done piecemeal. The match score was on games so they had to play them all to a finish.

We could solve the problems we have now, because the match would not have to be played to a finish, but to a result (5 sets won)

So now in many cases, the lower team, who may think that they won’t win anyway, may well decide to concede the match rather than go back to finish it. So, the team that may well have won gets the full points and the other team gets 0. A fair result as may well have applied if the courts had been fit.

One would think a result is better than no result.

Meadow Hill:

That MEN’S, MIXED & LADIES’ COMPETITION RULE 4 be amended as follows:

The points awarded shall beas follows: a match won 3 2 points and for a match abandoned 1 point ............................

Background: The three points for a win and one for abandonment unfairly penalises the genuine case where it was a complete washout, because if played, one team would have got 3 points.

There can also be pressure from a higher team onto a lower team to get a result. A mathematically sound system is were the points are shared. To see this think of, 'why not 4 for a win or 5 with 1 for a match abandoned?'

Proposed Rule Changes for 2027