Understanding Lawn Bowls, a sport that has been a component of the CWG since its first edition, for the Commonwealth Games 2022

Tuesday at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the India women's fours team—Pinki, Lovely Choubey, Nayanmoni Saikia, and Rupa Rani Tirkey—will compete in the historic Lawn Bowls final versus South Africa (August 2).

After defeating New Zealand 16-13 in the semifinals, the Indian team wrote Commonwealth Games history by securing the country's first-ever medal in the sport. Let's learn about the sport, its regulations, and scoring procedures before the championship match against South Africa's dominant team.

Since the first Commonwealth Games in 1930, the precision- and athlete-reliant sport of lawn bowls has been a feature of the competition. South Africa (44 medals), Australia (50 medals), and England (51) are the top three most dominant countries in Lawn Bowls history. India, who participated in the discipline in the CWG editions of 2010, 2014, and 2018, has a highest placing of fourth, which was attained in the men's fours event in 2014 and the women's triples event in 2010.

RULES 
There are four ways to play lawn bowls: singles, couples, triples, and fours. The lead is the person who rolls the ball first, while the skip is the person who rolls it last. The ends of the rink are its vertical ends. In order to hit the jack, a team or a solo lawn bowler must roll every bowl from one end. After all the balls have been rolled from each end, points are awarded.

Following the coin toss, the lead gets to choose the end from which to start. Jack is rolled toward the other end while a mat is put. For the jack to be deemed in play, it must move at least 23m. In a singles match at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, each player must roll four balls from one each.

During a singles match, the winner is the person who scores 21 points first. Each lawn bowler gets to roll two balls from one end in pairs, triples, and fours. A fours match's outcome is decided after 15 ends, whereas matches in pairs, triples, and other combinations are decided after 18 ends. In group match ties at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, each team receives one point. However, extra ends are played if a tie arises in the knockout stage until a champion is determined. A tie cannot occur in the singles.

 In group match ties at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, each team receives one point. However, extra ends are played if a tie arises in the knockout stage until a champion is determined. A tie cannot occur in the singles.