Short Mat Bowls is, of course, played
on a mat indoors. The mat is 12.2m min - 13.75m max long and
1.83m wide. It has centre block which is 0.38m long. There are
various taped markings at each end which govern:
1. The position of the delivery mat
2. The extent of the ditch
3. Two delivery lines
4. The Jack line
5. The dead line
Click the image for a larger image!
The delivery mat: must be located between the two delivery
mat lines and, when bowling, one foot must always be on or over
this mat.
The ditch: as in green bowls if a delivered bowl goes
into the ditch area it will be removed from play. If it strikes
the jack during initial delivery then it is regarded as a "toucher"
and remains in play in the ditch.
Two delivery lines: these two lines govern the position
of our other foot. When delivering the bowl our second foot
must be positioned between these lines.
The jack line: The jack (the pill) is always placed
along this line. Normally the pill is placed centrally along
the line for the first game (end) but subsequent ends the winning
captain from the previous end can place it anywhere along the
line.
The dead line: a delivered bowl must completely pass
this line or, if not, it will be removed from play.
The centre block: a delivered bowl must not touch the
block in any way or, if it does, it will be removed from play.
The game is played using the same bowls as used on the more
familiar game played on grass. We are also trying to bowl as
near to a jack placed at the other end as possible.
There the similarity ends. We have to bowl to the confines of
a mat, a centre block and a dead line. We are not subjected
to uniforms of grey and white plus blazer but can wear a team
strip of our own choosing. Ettington's strip is burgundy short
sleeved sport shirts with grey logo and grey sweat shirts with
burgundy logo.
The game is governed by the English Short Mat Bowling Association,
Warwickshire has an affiliated Association.
