By Cliff Jones - Issue 30 (2012)
Q1. In a singles game, Mabel, playing her Blue ball, scores hoop 5 immediately after her opponent had played his Red ball – Her opponent then plays Red again – Mabel then plays her Black ball and as it comes to rest, her opponent realises that when Mabel scored hoop 5 she did so with the wrong ball.
What should happen now?
Q2. James, using his Red ball, runs hoop 2 with a jump shot and in doing so digs his mallet head into the ground leaving a substantial divot, a fault, which was noticed by both himself and his opponent. The shot was exceedingly spectacular and much praise was afforded by the opponent who, in the excitement, and temporally forgetting about the fault, immediately played Black towards hoop 3. James followed by playing Yellow. When the balls came to rest, both players remembered about the jump shot fault at hoop 2.
A referee is called. How would the referee resolve the situation?
Q3. During a handicap game between Robert and Jenny, Robert attempts to run hoop 5 but strikes the ball twice with his mallet. Both players agree that this was a fault and so Robert decides to then use one of his free turns. Jenny is not sure that Robert is entitled to use a free turn after a fault and a referee is called.
What would the referee decide and how would he explain the law to the players?
Additional question by Ros Key-Pugh
Q.4. Red realises hoop 7 will be taken in the next shot by Black, which is nestling in the hoop and Red cannot remove it or jump it. Blue and Yellow are past hoop 7 towards hhop 8. Red aims carefully and skims off Blue in passing on to hit Yellow firmly. Yellow is promoted past the half way line. Black takes hoop 7 and immediately calls for Yellow to be placed on the east penalty spot, claiming it is offside. Red argues that the shot that moved Yellow past half way was as a result of his ball hitting an opposition ball (Blue) and so meets the exception 10b(3).
A referee is called. Who is correct? Red or Black?
1: Nothing should happen. Mabel has condoned the wrong ball play by playing her Black ball, which is in the correct sequence.
2: The referee would say that the fault can not now be acknowledged as two further turns have been played.
3: The referee would explain that Robert may use a free turn at any time with the proviso that after a fault the balls must be replaced in the position that they occupied before the fault.
4: Unfortunately, the ball that promoted Yellow was the Red ball, not an opponent’s ball, so the Yellow ball is indeed offside.