What makes a jack delivery improper, and what happens next?
Rule- Australia
- Bowls Australia
- World Bowls
- Laws of the Sport of Bowls
- Crystal Mark 4th Edition
- Open age
- 2026/27
- Players
Improper delivery (law 10.1). The jack is improperly delivered if it comes to rest:
- in the ditch;
- completely outside the boundaries of the rink;
- less than 23 metres from the mat line (measured in a straight line from the centre of the mat line to the nearest point of the jack, after centring);
- on the rink after contact with the face of the bank; or
- on the rink after contact with any object or person completely outside the boundaries of the rink.
What happens (law 10.2 to 10.3). The opposing player places the mat and re-delivers the jack (centred), but does not play first. If the jack is improperly delivered once by each player in an end, it is not delivered again: it is centred with the nearest point of the jack 2 metres from the front ditch, and the first player to play places the mat.
Short jack (law 9.2). If the jack in its original course comes to rest less than 2 metres from the front ditch, it is placed on the centre line with its nearest point to the mat line 2 metres from the front ditch.
Distance for domestic play (law 10.5). Member National Authorities can change the 23 metre distance to 21 metres for domestic play.
Mat placement (law 6.1.1). The mat's centre line is placed along the centre line of the rink with the mat line at least 2 metres from the rear ditch and at least 25 metres from the front ditch.
Source: World Bowls, Laws of the Sport of Bowls Crystal Mark Fourth Edition, laws 6, 9 and 10, https://www.worldbowls.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Laws_of_the_Sport_Fourth_Edition.pdf
Added 24 Oct 2026