All member clubs in the East Anglian Croquet Federation shall be eligible to participate.
The competition will operate as a knock-out with the early rounds operating on a regional basis wherever possible, with clubs determining home and away by using the EACF Virtual Coin Toss if there is no previous history in this competition, otherwise the opposite of their previous encounter. However, clubs with only one serviceable court may elect to play any home games away.
The responsibility for arranging fixtures rests with the home club. However, a degree of mutual co-operation is expected between both clubs.
Courts should be full size and in adequate condition such that there is a possibility of accurate positioning, and hitting a ball from one corner of the court to the opposite corner.
The minimum allowed handicap allowed is 0. There is no maximum allowed handicap. The aggregate team handicap must be at least 10. The team captains should ensure that handicaps are correct and have been assessed by the club handicapper in accordance with the CA Handicap Guidelines. No player may play for more than one club in the course of any one season. However, members of a near neighbour club are permitted to play.
All games shall be standard 26pt games played to Handicap Advanced rules, of 3 hours duration if single-banked or 3¼ hours if double banked, played under the current Laws of Association Croquet. Time-limited games shall be played to a result in accordance with CqE Tournament Regulation T2 ("Limit on Number of Turns"), with the additional rule that either pair of a doubles game may choose to play Alternate Stroke Doubles independently of their opponents' choice.
Where two or more courts are available teams should normally consist of 4 players, with 1 doubles and 6 singles games in the match, making 7 games in total. Players are to be listed in handicap order by the Home ('H') and Away ('A') team captains and play their opposite numbers according to the following formula:
a.m.: H1 & H4 v A1 & A4, H2 v A3, H3 v A2
p.m.: H1 v A1, H2 v A2, H3 v A3, H4 v A4
Where only one court is available teams should instead consist of 3 players, with only one player in each team playing in two doubles at the captains' discretion, giving a total of 4 games in the match, and no games may be duplicated. In such a 3-a-side match the team aggregate handicap must be at least 7½. If the number of games won by each team is equal, then the winner is the team winning the most games within time. If the result is still undecided it shall then be determined by using the Nottingham Tie Break (2-ball breaks by each team starting in corner IV, with each player in the team by rotation playing one stroke until the turn ends; if necessary the exercise is repeated until a winner emerges).
It is expected that the home club will provide refreshments including a light tea at the end of the match at no cost to the visitors.
In the event of a dispute all clubs concerned should make representations to the Manager, whose decision shall be final.
Association Croquet
the EACF Ken Wheeler Shield