Yesterday Keith and I had a draw in our Pairs game and had to play a deciding end.  No one seemed to know for sure what the rules were for this, so I thought I would look them up and post.  As it happened we did eventually agree on the correct rule.  e.g. We tossed a coin, they won and gave the mat to us.

A drawn game in a knockout (eliminating) competition

45.1  In a knockout (eliminating) competition with a fixed number of ends, if the scores are equal when all ends have been played, an extra end should be played to decide the result.

45.2  The managers in a side game (or, in their absence, representatives of the sides), skips in a team game or opponents in Singles should toss a coin and the winner will decide who should play first as described in laws 18.2.2 and 18.2.3.

45.3  The extra end should be played from where the previous end was completed.

45.4  If an extra end is completed and the scores are still equal, another extra end should be played.

45.5  If more than one extra end is needed, the managers or representatives, skips or opponents should again toss a coin, and the winner will decide who should play first.

45.6  If an extra end is declared dead, law 31.3 will apply.

Tossing for opening play

18.2.2  The winner of the toss should choose whether to:

18.2.2.1 place the mat and then deliver the jack and the first bowl; or
18.2.2.2 tell the opposing player to place the mat and deliver the jack and the first bowl (the opposing player cannot refuse).

18.2.3  The option chosen by the manager or representative who wins the toss in a side game will apply to all teams or Singles players (or a combination of teams and Singles players) who make up the side.

Bowls England News

Use of ground sheets in national competitions and championships

Following several enquiries, Bowls England wishes to clarify the interpretation of Regulation 53.1.17 – Ground sheets.

In the event of no decision being reached IN ANY ROUND owing to exceptional weather conditions, and where this makes it impossible to re-arrange a fixture before the completion date, the aggregate score, in uncompleted matches in which five ends or more have been played, will stand as the result unless otherwise specified. If the score is a tie then the result will be decided by the toss of a coin.

Matches not started and matches in which less than five ends have been completed will be decided by the toss of a coin, or by mutual agreement.

Portable/moveable groundsheets are not acceptable for National Championships or Competitions. The word ‘portable’ relates to those ground sheets that are taken up after each end. These have not been approved by the governing body. Fixed ground sheets which remain ‘in situ’ throughout the match are the only ones acceptable.

Please refer to Laws of Sport of Bowls Crystal Mark Second Edition 1.3.12 Ground sheets and 19.1.1-19.1.5.

via Official site of the National Governing Body for Outdoor Flat Green Bowls in England.