RULES

1.         The competition will be open to all clubs participating in the Basingstoke & District League and will be on a handicap basis. The handicap will apply to each of the nine events in a match. Before the start of the season each club, entering the competition, shall submit to the Committee a list of 12 players (6 Ladies and 6 Men) . The handicap for that season will be awarded on the basis of the 12 players. A team, for any match in that season’s competition, may only be selected from the 12 nominated players

2.         Clubs may enter more than one team.  For each team entered 12 players
            (6 Ladies and 6 Men) should be nominated.  Only those nominated may play
            for that team in that season.             

3.         No person shall play for a club team unless they have already been registered with the League as a member of that club and have not played in an Inter-County Championship match for a County first team for the three previous seasons, except at the discretion of the League Committee. 

4.         The competition shall be conducted on a Knock-out basis and an unseeded draw shall be made by the League Committee before each round up to and including the semi-finals. Byes shall be drawn only when the number of entries is not a power of two, and then only in the first round. The first team drawn in each pair shall have choice of venue and shuttle. The cost of each match should be shared equally between the two competing teams. 

5.         Each team in a match shall consist of 3 Ladies and 3 Gentlemen and each player shall participate in two Ladies or two Mens doubles events as appropriate and one Mixed event. 

6.         Each match shall consist of nine events i.e. 3 Ladies doubles, 3 Mens doubles and 3 Mixed doubles.  Each event shall comprise of one game of 21 points but no setting shall be permitted. If an event should not be completed for any reason the defaulting pair shall be awarded the number of points actually scored (if any) and their opponents shall be awarded 21 points. In the event of a simultaneous default by both pairs each pair shall be awarded the number of points actually scored (if any). 

7.         Each club shall rank its team members in order of playing strength for the purpose of the Ladies and Mens doubles events, and each player shall participate in the appropriate Ladies or Mens doubles events as follows: 

Pairings of team members for the purpose of Mixed doubles events shall be at the discretion of their club, but each club shall rank its Mixed doubles pairings in order of playing strength and each pairing shall play the equivalent pairing of the opposing team. This rule is subject to the case of substitution under Rule 9.

8.         Before the commencement of each match the team captains shall exchange lists as for Rule 9 and may include up to two substitutes if so desired. 

9.         No more than two substitutes may play in a match and no player, once substituted, shall play in the remainder of the match. A player may only be substituted in the event of injury or other occurrence which prevents that player from continuing play, but a substitute shall not play in any event in which the substituted player has commenced play. A substitute shall play in the remaining events in which the substituted player would have played in that match. 

10.       Save in exceptional circumstances events in all matches shall be played in the following order: 

11.       Events in all matches shall be played in accordance with the current Laws of Badminton as adopted by the Badminton Association of England subject only to Rule 5 hereof. 

12.       The team scoring the greater number of points from the nine events in each match shall be declared the winners of the match but if each team scores the same number of points then the team winning the greater number of events shall be declared the winner. 

13.       Disputes shall, according to the nature thereof, be submitted in writing to the League Committee whose decision shall be final. 

14.       The club whose team win the final round of the Knock-Out Competition shall hold the League Knock-Out Trophy for one season and shall be responsible for the safe custody thereof. 

Revised July 2007 .