RULES - amended November 2011

(Additions and alterations from last year’s rules shown in bold)


1. The member Clubs shall constitute a league called ‘Tyke Petroleum Men’s Tennis League’.

2. Membership of the League will be at the discretion of the Committee.

3. The Committee shall consist of a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and one representative from each Division.

4. Officers shall retire at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) but shall be eligible for re-election.

5. The AGM shall be held in October of each year, when a report of the season’s activities and a financial statement will be given.

6. Each Club in the League shall be entitled to send two representatives to the AGM, and only these will have voting power.

7. Rules may only be amended at the AGM. Any proposals of changes should be given to the Secretary by October 1st for discussion at that year’s AGM.

8. The Committee shall meet when there is business to transact.

9. At least fourteen days notice in writing shall be given to members concerned of any meeting, except in cases of urgency.

10. Each Club shall be allowed to enter more than one team in the League, with the agreement of the A.G.M. Multiple teams will be allowed to enter the league on the understanding that they will operate within their club structure and not as separate entities.

11. Applications from new Clubs, or members wishing to increase the numbers of their teams, should be given in writing to the Secretary for discussion at the A.G.M.

12. Notices of withdrawals from the League should be given in writing to the Secretary by the A.G.M.

13. Member Clubs shall pay £5.00 per team annual subscriptions. Subscriptions shall be paid to the Treasurer by March 31st.

14. No player may play for more than one Club in any season unless 28 days notice of his intention to transfer is given to the SECRETARY and approved.

15. The formation of the League shall be decided at the AGM.

16. Any valid fixture alterations (other than for bad weather) must be sent to the League Secretary in writing before the date of the first fixture of the season. In the absence of written evidence from the requesting team, that team will forfeit the match. The opposition must have approved and be aware of the alteration.


17. A team shall consist of three pairs, but with prior notice, a team can play with only two pairs, automatically conceding 36 games, and 3 rubber points.’

18. Where one pair is not present at the prescribed start time of 10.00am for three-court clubs, or other earlier time agreed for two court clubs only, the match will begin at the request of the complete team, who may claim the outstanding games remaining of the late starting rubber on completion of the last of the two other rubbers. The onus is on visitors to two-court clubs to telephone, giving fair notice of the wish to start earlier.
N.B. Two-court clubs are Sherburn and Sheriff Hutton.

19. Each pair in a team shall play twelve games against each opposing pair, and match results will be decided on games and rubbers won. The HOME team are obliged to inform their opponents, of their intended player pairings for the match, and their order (1st, 2nd and 3rd) to be entered on the scorecard. The Away team is then entitled to allocate their pairings in response.

20. 3 points will be awarded to the team that wins the most games overall, and 1 point awarded for each rubber won. 12 points in all. In the event of an equal number of games won, either in the match or an individual rubber, the equivalent points will be shared. If a team fails to fulfill a fixture, the opponents shall be awarded three points and games equal to those of the return fixture or equal to their average at the end of the season, whichever is the greater, with a minimum of 55. Additionally, they shall be awarded rubber points equal to those of the return fixture or equal to their average at the end of the season, whichever is the greater, with a minimum of 4½. In addition, six League points shall be deducted from that season’s total if a side fails to fulfil a fixture. Should any team concede four fixtures, its whole schedule shall be void with all points and games nullified. In addition, the team shall be expelled from the League, subject to appeal.

21. The Captain/Secretary of the home team should notify the League Secretary in writing of the names of the players and the result of the match within 72 hours of its being played. If the result is not received by the League Secretary within seven days, the Club responsible i.e. the home team, shall pay a fine of £2.00 to the League. Any card delivered with insufficient postage shall incur a fine of £1.

22. If, after a match has commenced, play has to be abandoned for any reason, if one team has a winning advantage (55 games) the match need not be replayed. The team with 55 games will be awarded 3 points. A point will be awarded additionally for each complete or incomplete rubber won (ie 7 games or more have been won by one team). Points will be shared for completed rubbers drawn and all rubbers for which 7 games have not been won by either side, including rubbers not commenced. Any outstanding games in the match shall be null & void, not shared.

23. The home team is responsible for providing the minimum of 3 new balls per court for Clubs with 3 courts and 4 new balls for Clubs with 2 courts.

24. Courts and court equipment e.g. net centre tapes, shall meet the LTA minimum requirements.

25. In the case of a Club with more than one team in the League, a player becomes ineligible to play in lower teams once he has played three times in a team or teams of higher status. Clubs who have two or more teams in the same Division shall play their home and away fixtures at the beginning of the season.

26. In the event of a match being postponed whilst the Season is ongoing (due to bad weather or other reason), then the home-team Captain shall inform the League Secretary (by phone or e-mail – a completed scorecard is NOT necessary) of the postponement within the same time limits as outlined in rule 21 for fulfilled fixtures. Within TWO WEEKS of the original fixture date, the home AND away team Captains must confirm to the League Secretary, the date of the rearranged fixture. If within two weeks of the postponement, no confirmed new date is notified, the League Secretary will determine a date for the rearranged fixture. Any new fixture date (either mutually confirmed or Secretary imposed) is binding and the new fixture subject to the League rules for fulfilment of fixtures. (It is therefore very much in the interests of the two teams, for their Captains to mutually agree and confirm their own rearrangement date!)

27. All players should wear acceptable tennis clothing. Any complaint must be made in writing to the League Secretary within seven days of the relevant match. Such complaints will be discussed by the Committee which shall have the power to levy a fine and/or make a deduction of League points.

28. All matches must be completed by September 30th each year. If, at that date, two or more clubs are equal on points and games won, the League position shall depend on the aggregate result of the rubbers won in the fixtures between the clubs, and only then on the aggregate result of the games won in those fixtures.

29. The Executive Committee shall have full power over any matters arising concerning the league not provided for in these Rules and to impose upon any Club or player breaking the Rules any penalty they deem necessary.

30a) No club shall be entitled to concede a match for a team while the club has another team/teams playing, on that day, in the same or lower division (previously as part of rule 20). If so, then the lower team/s will also be deemed to have conceded.

30b) Should the higher team field less than three pairs, in actuality or in effect (e.g. by fielding an ineligible player), then the lower team/s will at the discretion of the Committee, forfeit the scores of their third and, if necessary second pairing.

30c) Should a team play, fielding no eligible pairs at all, then the match will be deemed to have been conceded in accordance with rules 20) and 30a) above.

31. The home team must ensure that a copy of these Rules is either displayed in the clubhouse or is available for consultation before and/or during any match.


Tyke Rules November 2011