Wrong Ball - Croquet Association link

Synopsis of the link

Playing a Wrong Ball

• A wrong ball is played when the striker plays a ball other than the striker's ball or a player other than the striker plays any ball.
  
• The previous stroke is the stroke before the last stroke.

Earlier Strokes

When play is stopped after a wrong ball has been played in the last stroke:

• All strokes before the last stroke are treated as valid.
  
• Any points scored in those strokes are counted for the owners of the balls that scored the points.

Action after a Wrong Ball is Played

Striker played partner ball or striker's partner played own ball

• The non-offending side chooses whether to apply Replace and Replay or Ball Swap.
• The non-offending side is to announce its decision promptly and may not then change that decision.

Striker or striker's partner played opponent ball

• Replace and Replay.

Striker's partner played striker's ball

• Replace and Replay applies

Replace and replay

• The last stroke is annulled and any points scored as a result of the stroke are cancelled.
  
• All balls moved as a result of the last stroke are replaced in the positions they occupied before the last stroke was played.
• The striker for the last stroke then replays that stroke with the striker's ball.

Ball swap

• The last stroke is treated as valid and any points scored in the last stroke are counted for the owners of the balls that scored the points.
  
• All balls moved as a result of the last stroke are left where they stopped, except that the positions of the ball played in the last stroke and its partner ball are swapped. A swapped ball takes the offside status of the ball with which it is swapped.
• The non-offending side then plays the ball next in sequence after the partner ball of the ball played in the last stroke.