Tier 1
The Competition is played over seven consecutive days from Sunday, 15 May to Saturday, 21 May 2016. Days 1 to 3 are the Block Stage and days 4 to 7 are the Knock Out Stage. All matches between doubles pairs or between players are best-of-three games and each game is a standard best-of-13 point game.
Block Stage
The eight teams are ranked by the average grade of the top four players named in each squad on the Team Seeding Date which is Sunday, 17 April 2016. They are then divided into two block of four. Block A consists of the teams seeded 1st, 3rd, 6th and 8th. Block B consists of the teams seeded 2nd, 4th, 5th and 7th. This seeding also ranks the teams from 1 to 4 within each block.
In each block, the teams play a Test Match against each of the other three teams in the block in the following order:
Day 1: Seed 1 v Seed 3, Seed 2 v Seed 4
Day 2: Seed 1 v Seed 4, Seed 2 v Seed 3
Day 3: Seed 1 v Seed 2, Seed 3 v Seed 4.
Each Block Stage Test Match consists of six matches, namely two doubles matches and four singles matches. If a team wins the majority of the matches played, it scores two block points. If the teams share the matches played, each team scores one block point. At the end of the Block Stage, the teams are ranked in descending order of block points scored and the top two proceed to the Knock Out Stage semi-finals. The Playing Regulations contain play-off procedures in the event of ties for first or second place.
Knock-out Stage
Days 4 and 5: Winner of Block A v Runner Up of Block B, Winner of Block B v Runner Up of Block A
Each semi-final Test Match consists of 13 matches, namely three doubles matches and ten singles matches. Six are played on day 4 (two doubles matches and four singles) and seven on day 5 (one doubles and six singles).
Days 6 and 7: Final and 3/4th Test Matches
The Final Test Match consists of 13 matches (as described above).
The 3/4th Test Match may consist of either 9 matches or 13 matches as the Tournament Manager decides after consulting the teams involved.
If a 9 match Test Match is played, it consists of three doubles matches and six singles matches. Six are played on day 6 (two doubles and four singles) and three on day 7 (one doubles and two singles).
Plate event
All Plate Test Matches consist of seven matches, namely one doubles match and six singles matches.
Day 4: Block A 3rd v Block B 4th, Block A 4th v Block B 3rd
Day 5: Block A 3rd v Block B 3rd, Block A 4th v Block B 4th
The results of these matches are combined with the matches between the teams in the Block Stage to generate a notional all-play-all block. The teams are then ranked 1 to 4 based on the results of the notional block.
Day 6: Team 1 v Team 4, Team 2 v Team 3
Day 7: Day 6 winners (5/6th Test Match), Day 6 losers (7/8th Test Match).
Tier 2
The Competition is played over six consecutive days from Sunday, 15 May to Friday, 20 May 2016. Days 1 to 3 are the Block Stage and days 4 to 6 are the Knock Out Stage. All matches between doubles pairs or between players are best-of-three games and each game is a standard best-of-13 point game.
Block Stage
This is identical to the Tier 1 Block Stage described above.
Knock-out Stage
Day 4: Winner of Block A v Runner Up of Block B, Winner of Block B v Runner Up of Block A
Each semi-final Test Match consists of 7 matches, namely one doubles match and six singles matches.
Days 5 and 6: Final and 3/4th Test Matches
This is identical to days 6 and 7 of the Tier 1 Knock Out Stage described above.
Plate
All Plate Test Matches consist of seven matches, namely one doubles match and six singles matches.
Day 4: Block A 3rd v Block B 4th, Block A 4th v Block B 3rd
Day 5: Block A 3rd v Block B 3rd, Block A 4th v Block B 4th
The results of these matches are combined with the matches between the teams in the Block Stage to generate a notional all-play-all block. The teams are then ranked 1 to 4 based on the results of the notional block.
Day 6: Team 1 v Team 2 (5/6th Test Match), Team 3 v Team 4 (7/8th Test Match)