Let the games begin and watch out for shadows.

Welcome back to the 2025-2026 pennant season.

Good old Melbourne weather, already taking its toll on our great game. This is a reminder to us all on how best to manage our greens and playing conditions during all sorts of inclement weather.

The current Conditions of Play for Metropolitan Pennant have seen a few changes from previous years’ Conditions of Play, but not many. Regional Pennant can adjust in some of these areas; always check local conditions.

For example, it’s not compulsory to use the BOM in country areas and thus some areas are using digital thermometers (Stephenson’s Box), on the day of play.

The main change has been with relation to heat, so now when the temperature reaches 36° the game must stop immediately, and players must not complete or attempt to complete the end in progress. Unless play resumes within 10 minutes that end becomes dead and needs to be replayed. If the game cannot return within one hour (not accumulative with other taken breaks) the game becomes abandoned and the allocated points shared.

While it is not pleasant playing in the rain, especially if it’s also cold, there is no Law of the Sport or clause in the Conditions of Play that states that if it’s raining you cannot commence a game of bowls.

However, what becomes important in the commencing of a game of bowls is:

Has the greenkeeper or their delegate opened the green for play?
Have the Side Managers discussed whether they wish to start?
Side Managers can agree to abandon any game.
If the Side Managers cannot agree, the Umpire then becomes the decision maker.

Issues that Umpires need to consider include the following:

Has the greenkeeper opened the green?
Are there pools of water forming on the green?
Do “rooster tails” of water follow the bowls down the green?
Is it safe to play? Check the green surface, matt surface and the surrounds.

If the answer is positive then let the game begin, regardless of whether or not it is raining.

Common sense needs to prevail here. If it’s pouring rain do not start, if it’s light drizzle and safe to play, start your game. Anything in between becomes more subjective and the Side Managers (and Umpires if required), need to consult.

If it’s agreed by the Umpire that the game should start and a team refuses to play, and remains in the clubhouse, then the game may be forfeited to the team prepared to play.

LIGHTNING

It is the responsibility of the Side Managers to monitor and record the provisions relating to lightning. Play should be immediately suspended if the time between seeing a lightning flash and hearing a thunderclap is less than 30 seconds, which indicates a thunderstorm is within 10km of the venue. This includes outdoor covered greens. This does not apply to fully enclosed facilities.

HEAT

In relation to heat, Bowls Victoria will make decisions for Saturday pennant at 4.00pm Thursday evenings, and for Midweek pennant at 10.00am Monday mornings, prior to the games.

For Saturday pennant, if the temperature is forecast to be between 36 and 39 degrees Celsius at your designated BOM weather station, play will be moved to a 10.00am start time. Pre-game practice may need to be reduced or removed at the discretion of the home club’s greenkeeper. Two trial ends can still occur, commencing at 9.45am.

For Midweek pennant, if the temperature is forecast to be between 36 and 39 degrees Celsius at your designated BOM weather station, play will be moved to a 10.00am start time. Pre-game practice may need to be reduced or removed at the discretion of the home club’s greenkeeper. Two trial ends can still occur, commencing at 9.45am.

If the forecasted temperature is 40 degrees Celsius or higher at your designated BOM weather station, play will be abandoned for both Saturday and Midweek, and the match points will be shared.

Heat (on the day of play)

It is the responsibility of the Side Managers to monitor and record the time the temperature is taken, and any stoppage or interruption to play.

Clubs must use the official Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) App and select the relevant BOM weather station location, using the postcode at the address of the club where the game is taking place. The postcode will default to the nearest weather station. The official BOM app can be found here: https://www.bom.gov.au/bom-weather-app

An exemption exists for Cardinia Waters, Eastwood Golf and Mt Waverley Bowls Clubs, where the Scoresby (postcode 3179) weather station must be used, and for Whittlesea Bowls Club, where the Viewbank (postcode 3084) weather station must be used.

It is expected that each individual player will make the best decision for their own personal wellbeing in relation to weather conditions. Players are not forced to play by the Organisation, and therefore should advise their selectors if they are available to play in the specific weather conditions.

I will conclude on a humorous note… I am often emailed or phoned regarding the Laws of the Sport and Conditions of Play for any changes or explanations – which is fine, not an issue at all, always willing to assist if I can.

Last week, a call from a National Umpire made me smile. A very genuine and concerned umpire asked me, had the Laws changed around bowls and “shadows”?

I asked for more information and he informed me that a player insisted that there was a new Law that stated if the bowl was out of play but the shadow of a bowl was over the boundary line then the bowl was live.