THE LAWS OF ASSOCIATION CROQUET
Copyright © 1989 The Croquet Association
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PART 2 - Ordinary Singles Play - C. Miscellaneous Laws of Play
32. FAULTS
(a) A fault is committed during the striking period if the
striker
(1) touches the head of the mallet with his hand;
(2) causes or attempts to cause the mallet to strike the ball
by kicking or hitting the mallet;
(3) rests the shaft of the mallet or a hand or arm on the
ground;
(4) rests the shaft of the mallet or a hand or arm directly
connected with the stroke against any part of his legs or feet;
(5) strikes the striker's ball with any part of the mallet other
than an end-face (see Law 2(e) ); an accidental mis-hit is not
a fault under this sub-law unless the stroke is hampered (see (e) (1) below);
(6) plays a stroke without first striking the striker's ball
audibly or distinctly;
(7) in a croquet stroke, or in a continuation stroke in which
the balls start in contact, pushes or pulls the striker's ball (see (e)(2) below) after the balls
have parted contact;
(8) in a single ball stroke, pushes or pulls the striker's ball
(see (e)(2) below);
(9) strikes the striker's ball audibly or distinctly twice in the
same stroke or maintains contact between mallet and ball after the striker's ball has hit
another ball; a second hit or maintenance of contact caused by making a roquet or pegging
out the striker's ball or by interference by a ball pegged out in the stroke is not a fault
under this sub-law;
(10) moves or shakes a ball at rest by hitting a hoop or the
peg with the mallet or any part of his body or clothes;
(11) strikes the striker's ball so as to cause it to touch a
hoop or (unless the striker's ball is pegged out in the stroke) the peg when still in contact
with the mallet;
(12) strikes the striker's ball, when it lies in contact with
a hoop or (unless the striker's ball is pegged out in the stroke) the peg, otherwise than in
a direction away there from;
(13) touches a ball, other than the striker's ball, with the
mallet or allows the striker's ball to re-touch the mallet;
(14) touches any ball with any part of his body or clothes;
(15) in a croquet stroke, plays away from or fails to move
or shake the croqueted ball;
(16) deliberately plays a stroke that is likely to cause and
does cause substantial damage to the court by the mallet; substantial damage is damage
capable of affecting a subsequent shot played over the damaged area, normally involving
the breaking of the surface of the court.
(b) If a fault is committed in a croquet stroke and the striker's
turn would otherwise end under Law 20(c) , the adversary
may waive the fault before the next stroke is played. In that event, the fault is deemed not
to have been committed, any points scored for any ball in that stroke remain valid and the
turn ends under Law 20(c) .
(c) If the striker commits a fault and it is not waived or
condoned, the balls are replaced in their lawful positions before the stroke in which the
fault was committed, no point may be scored for any ball in that stroke or any subsequent
stroke and the turn ends.
(d) The fault is condoned if it is not discovered before the
next stroke but one of the striker's turn. In that event, the fault is deemed not to have been
committed.
(e)
(1) A stroke is hampered if it requires special care because
of the proximity of a hoop or the peg or another ball.
(2) The striker pushes or pulls the striker's ball if he
maintains contact between mallet and ball for an appreciable period or accelerates the mallet
head if it has been checked after its initial contact with the ball. A push is played away
from the body. A pull is played towards the body.
HTML files prepared by Dr. Ian Plummer.