What do I do if the jack or a bowl is damaged during play?
Rule- Australia
- Bowls Australia
- Laws of the Sport of Bowls
- Crystal Mark 4th Edition
- 2026/27
- Umpires
- All ages
Damaged jack (law 30). You must decide whether a replacement jack is needed. If one is needed, the end is declared dead.
Damaged bowl (law 31).
- You must decide whether a replacement bowl is needed.
- If a bowl struck by another bowl splits into pieces, the end must be declared dead.
- The damaged bowl must be replaced by another bowl from the same set before the next end, or the replayed end, starts.
- If a bowl at rest splits into pieces without being struck by another bowl, it is replaced with another bowl from the same set and the end continues.
- If a damaged bowl cannot be replaced from the same set, all bowls in the damaged set must be replaced with bowls from a different set.
A player who changes their set of bowls during an uninterrupted game forfeits the game, unless the change is because a bowl was damaged (or the game moved between a vegetation surface and a synthetic or indoor surface) (law 29.3.1).
Added 24 Oct 2026