During this season there will be much mixing of the mens squad such that, on any given evening, a new person might have to act as team captain. A volunteer will be needed to take charge on the day. Here is a crib sheet for stuff that needs to be done ..
Home matches
Two tubes of official league balls need to be provided. Get these balls to someone in the team for the evening.
Turn up before start time, if possible, so that, if opposition arrive 10 minutes early, they are not left standing in the field. Starting times for matches are 6:15pm. There are penalties in the rules for arriving after 30 minutes late. Unless the opposition have previously applied this penalty to us, or perhaps have not turned up at all, I would ask that we do not apply these penalties. It is only a game and there’s nothing much at stake apart from the joy of playing.
Allow some warm up before play starts.
Contact details for opposition need to be available in case, for instance, of cancelling for bad weather. Someone on our team needs to have a phone that they will be able to answer in case the opposition get lost, stuff in traffic, can’t raise a side, etc.
Put out the score boards.
Advise opposition on use of club house. (Kitchen, toilets, inside or out, whatever our rules are on the day.) If club house and kitchen in use we usually provide some squash to drink.
After the score sheet is filled in and signed (see below), take photo. Put in stamped, addressed envelope (on table). POST IT.
All matches
Turn up on time ! (Usually 6:15pm, away matches might be 6:30pm for ladies) However, if going to be late, let people know and we will try to smooth things over with the opposition. Usually possible.
Agree who is number one pair, who is number two, and, with opposition, order of play, e.g. top pairs against second pairs to start, or not. The away side have the right to choose such things if they wish.
Agree that we understand the rules. Full deuces. First to six games but tie break at 5-5, two sets, 10 point tie break to decide winners if one set each.
Take some photos of the action, if possible. Very useful for social media and website but easier said than done. I usually take a picture during warm up.
If it rains halfway through and you have to abandon, if two matches have not finished then nothing counts to the points and the game is replayed another day. If two matches have been played the points will stand for all completed sets.
At the end, take care filling in the score sheet. Enter the game scores in sets one and two. In the column for set three enter 6-0 for the winning pair. (Not the tie break score but you can put that in brackets). Get the names of players on the sheet. Get captains signatures. Take picture of score sheet and email it to the match secretary. If home match then ensure it is posted.
Official Rules
The formal rules document for 2021 (Word, opens in new window)