Team bowled over by trouser rule

A bowling team captain is resigning in protest after his team was disqualified from a match because one player was wearing the wrong-coloured trousers.

Jack Everitt, 72, said he was "shocked" when he heard a complaint had been made over one of his player's trousers.

Staffordshire Veterans Bowling Team had made it through to the semi-finals of the competition when it happened.

Mr Everitt said he knew trousers had to be either black or grey but officials would not accept they were waterproofs.

I saw players wearing jeans and all different coloured waterproof trousers but it didn't seem to make a difference Jack Everitt, former team captain

The team were thrown out of the British Crown Green Bowling Association Veterans County Championship in Warrington on Wednesday.

The club had just beaten rivals South Yorkshire by eight shots to win a place in the semi-finals when the association enforced the rule that competitors must wear either black or grey trousers.

"It was pouring down with rain and a lot of players were wearing different-coloured waterproof trousers but the official just would not accept that they were waterproof trousers," Mr Everitt told BBC News Online.

"They had received one complaint and had a meeting and after two minutes we were told that our team had been disqualified.

Resignation letter

"I saw players wearing jeans and all different coloured waterproof trousers but it didn't seem to make a difference."

Mr Everitt, who had captained the team for eight years, said although he had not submitted his resignation letter he had decided not to continue with the post.

"I have been playing bowls for 60 years but will never take part in anything associated with the British Crown Green Bowling Association again."

John Crowther, chief executive of British Crown Green Bowling Association, said they did not accept the player's trousers were waterproof.

"It was a very difficult decision to make but we have been given a lot of flack for not enforcing the rule in the past and we felt it was the right thing to do," he said.