AFTER a 32-year involvement in rounders, nothing should come as a surprise but last week a player approached a League Official asking: "Did you hear about Bob Moffat giving a player 'hit out' off a bad ball?"

Not having heard about the incident, the official asked for more information.

It turned out that it was that particular League Official who had refereed the game.

Yes, there had been a bad ball and yes, the player was eventually given hit out. Shock! Horror!

However, while it made a good story and the teller didn't let facts spoil the effect, the decision had been correct in the circumstances.

The bowler bowled a "bad ball", the batter hit the ball and ran to first base and was given "one run" and "no bad".

The batter then chose to go back to bat again and a fielder touched her with the ball because she was off her base and the referee rightly gave "hit out", having previously given the one run.

Coincidentally, a Year 7/8 player in last Monday's Millennium Junior Tournament ran and touched first base after hitting a bad ball, ignoring the shouts from the team.

In their 33 good ball game there is no advantage in taking just one off a bad ball.

When she realised her "error" she went to go back but was grateful for having the rule explained to her and stayed at first base.

It's bad enough when players and spectators don't know the rules, but to get the facts wrong and go telling wild embellished stories is a bit much -- but it makes a good story.

The score sheet for last Tuesday's Section 'B' match between Bolton & District Ladies and Westside XI shows a zero against the first two B&D batters first time round. But in fact, Kerry Anderton arrived late from work and eased herself into the game with a one on the second round.

Although she failed to score next time round, she punished Westside by going on to score 16, including one rounder.

After being let off the hook from the first ball of the game, Ruth Hamnett scored seven ones, a two and rounder to become the second highest scorer with 15.

Platt and Smith both scored 12 runs by completely different routes. Platt hit one rounder plus a three, a two, one and zero while Smith recorded ten ones and a two.

By far the highest score of the innings was the 26 bad balls given away by Westside who seemed to use five or six different bowlers and at the close of the innings, Bolton & District Ladies had run up a total of 110.

Although Westside lost one batter on each of the first two rounds, they plodded along scoring a succession of ones with nine twos and four threes thrown in for good measure. And, with 16 bad balls, they reached 83 at the break.

One Westside batter was told on several occasions in the first innings about being off base before the bowler put both feet inside the tape.

This prompted Bolton & District fielders to enquire if she would be out if they hit her. Of course, a member of the batting side could be given out if "touched by the ball from one of the fielding side" if she is not in contact with a base.

As it turned out, this particular batter was out at first base first time round in the second innings, so the fielders never got the chance to test the referee's interpretation of the rules but it was an interesting point.

Pauline Dootson was B&D's star of the second innings, scoring ones, twos and a three for 16 runs. Her sister, Janet Scaldwell, ran her a close second with 13, including a rounder.

With three other batters reaching double figures, Bolton & District finished on 205 for the match, leaving Westside chasing 123 to win.

Westside had a rounder courtesy of Woodward but never looked like achieving their target and were all out for just 48.