Fixtures
Winter 2024-25

Season & Match Formats

The SRPL has two seasons per year. Summer running April to July and Winter running September to March.

Summer Season

Summer Blackball Match Format

  • Matches are the best of 9 frames.
  • Each match is split into 3 sections: 4x singles, 1x scotch doubles (see below), 4x singles.
  • Each team player can only play once per section
    - therefore the minimum players required is 4 and the maximum 10.
  • The Home team choose their players for frames 1-4 before handing the card to the Away team.
  • Frame 5 is played as Scotch Doubles with the Home team choosing their players first.
  • The Away team choose their players for frames 6-9 before handing the card to the Home team.
  • Each player can only play once per section. If a player is not present to sign the card at the start of the section then they cannot play in that section, players arriving late are eligible to play in any sections yet to be started.

Group Stage (Winter 2021-22 Reboot Season: 21 teams)

  • All teams drawn at random (LIVE) into 4 groups of 6 teams.
  • All teams within the groups play each other once home, once away.
  • Final standings within the groups are calculated on POINTS then MATCHES WON then FRAME WIN PERCENTAGE, then HEAD TO HEAD.

Cup & Shield Split

(11 teams enter Cup & 10 teams enter Shield)
  • All 1st placed teams go through to the CUP.
  • All 2nd placed teams go through to the CUP.
  • 3rd placed teams are ranked by Frame Win Percentage (F-WIN%).
    1st-3rd highest F-WIN% go through to the CUP.
    4th go through to the SHIELD.
    (See note reference matching F-WIN%).
  • All 4th, 5th & 6th placed teams go through to the SHIELD.

Matching Frame Win Percentage in key positions

  • If two teams have equal F-WIN% then they play off.
  • If more than two teams have equal F-WIN% then those teams are ranked in the order they achieved their FRAMES WON total. Of those teams, the top 2 play-off for the position.

Cup & Shield Draw:

  • All qualifying teams are ranked by F-WIN%, followed by group (A-F).
  • 8 highest ranked play home versus lowest (1v16, 2v15 etc)

Group Stage (Winter 2021-22 Reboot Season: 32 teams)

  • All teams drawn at random (LIVE) into 6 groups of 6 teams.
  • All teams within the groups play each other once home, once away.
  • Final standings within the groups are calculated on POINTS then MATCHES WON then FRAME WIN PERCENTAGE, then HEAD TO HEAD.

Cup & Shield Split

(16 teams enter Cup & 16 teams enter Shield)
  • All 1st placed teams go through to the CUP.
  • All 2nd placed teams go through to the CUP.
  • 3rd placed teams are ranked by Frame Win Percentage (F-WIN%).
    1st-4th highest F-WIN% go through to the CUP.
    5th & 6th go through to the SHIELD.
    (See note reference matching F-WIN%).
  • All 4th, 5th & 6th placed teams go through to the SHIELD.

Matching Frame Win Percentage in key positions

  • If two teams have equal F-WIN% then they play off.
  • If more than two teams have equal F-WIN% then those teams are ranked in the order they achieved their FRAMES WON total. Of those teams, the top 2 play-off for the position.

Cup & Shield Draw:

  • All qualifying teams are ranked by F-WIN%, followed by group (A-H).
  • 8 highest ranked play home versus lowest (1v16, 2v15 etc)

Winter Season

Winter Blackball Match Format

  • Matches are the best of 9 frames.
  • Each match is split into 3 sections: 4x singles, 1x scotch doubles (see below), 4x singles.
  • Each team player can only play once per section
    - therefore the minimum players required is 4 and the maximum 10.
  • The Home team choose their players for frames 1-4 before handing the card to the Away team.
  • Frame 5 is played as Scotch Doubles with the Home team choosing their players first.
  • The Away team choose their players for frames 6-9 before handing the card to the Home team.
  • Each player can only play once per section. If a player is not present to sign the card at the start of the section then they cannot play in that section, players arriving late are eligible to play in any sections yet to be started.

Winter Season: Blackball League Format

  • Teams are placed into divisions of 10.
  • Each team will play the others in their division twice; once at home, once away.
  • All teams in the league are entered into the Team Knockout Cup.
  • Teams that don't progress to the last 16 of the Cup are entered into the Shield competition.
  • The top THREE teams will be promoted for the next Winter season.
  • The bottom THREE teams will be demoted for the next Winter season.

Other Information

Note: Full rules are available on the downloads tab above.

Winter Season:

  • Teams may request a maximum of two matches to be rearranged. Should an additional request be made, it will be denied and the requesting team will default the match with a 5-0 loss and no penalty, subject to giving 24 hours notice.
  • The SRPL must be made aware of any rearrangements made between team captains.
    There are strict timescales for rearrangements as explained on the FIXTURES main page. The last league match of the season is the same for all teams.
  • If Captains are unable to negotiate a rearranged date, the committee will allocate a non-negotiable date for you.
  • If there are insufficient weeks in which to rearrange a match before the end of the season, neither team will receive a penalty but both are likely to be lower in their division due to playing less matches.
  • Cup & Shield matches can be rearranged, but must be played before the originally scheduled date.

Summer Season:

  • Rearrangements are not permitted in the Summer season.

With the league average of 7.8 registered players per team, there really isn't any excuse to rearrange games. If you have the minimum of 4 players you should make a concerted effort to play the fixture.

  • The Blackball doubles are played as Scotch Doubles.
  • This is when each team pair alternate turns for every shot, regardless of if they pot of not.
  • Talking between shots is not allowed but players can briefly discuss their strategy for a maximum of 1 minute (at the referees discretion) before each visit. The only exception is that immediately following the break you can briefly discuss which colours to go for, again only approx 1 minute.
  • A minimum of 3 players must arrive ready to commence the first frame at 8.30pm.
  • Should a team not arrive before 8.45pm the first frame may be claimed.
  • Should a team not arrive before 9pm the match may be claimed.
  • Should one or two players be delayed, play must still commence at 8.30pm.
  • Teams arriving after 8.20pm can not expect the start to be delayed for them to warm up.
  • A team with late arriving players must notify the opposition at the start of the match.

Running to the same format as the Team Knockout Cup, the Team Knockout Shield gives teams another opportunity to win silverware and more matches throughout the season.

All teams are automatically entered into the Team Knockout Cup but if they are eliminated before reaching the last 16 they are entered into the Team Knockout Shield.


Take a look back over the history of the SRPL

Previous Season Fixtures and Results

S24