Non striker foul - how to continue?

[miscuehamburg]

Played a friendly game in my club a fortnight ago. I potted an awkward red and the cue ball rolled back into the baulk. As I contemplated how to continue I saw one of my old mates just coming in the room and I shook hands with him briefly. Meanwhile my opponent, who had not noticed the red actually went in, was back at the table and before I could say anything attempted a safety shot, which failed, leaving all kinds of opportunities.

A 7 points foul was clear enough. But where to continue play and what is on? My opponent suggested I could take it on where he left the cue ball, but we then couldn't agree whether a colour or a red were on. So we decided to reconstruct the situation before his failure and I took a colour on, like nothing had happened.

I still wonder if I could have taken on playing where he left the cue ball in that mishappen attempt

[Souwester]

There are a number of relevant rules to be taken into coinsideration when the non-striker is at the table:

Section2
5. Striker and Turn
The person about to play or in play is the striker and remains so until the final stroke, or foul, of his turn is complete and the referee is satisfied that he has finally left the table. If a non-striker comes to the table, out of turn, he shall be considered as the striker for any foul he may commit before leaving the table. When the referee is satisfied that the above conditions have been met, the incoming striker’s turn begins. His turn and his right to play another stroke ends when:
(a) he fails to score from a stroke; or
(b) he commits a foul; or
(c) he requests the

Section 3
10. Penalties.
The following acts are fouls and incur a penalty of four points unless a higher one is indicated in paragraphs (a) to (d) below. Penalties are:
(a) value of the ball on by:
(i) striking before the referee has completed the spotting of a colour taken as a free ball;
(ii) striking the cue-ball more than once during a stroke;
(iii) striking when both feet are off the floor;
(iv) playing out of turn, or playing a stroke before his opponent’s turn has ended contrary to Section 2 Rule 6 (e);
(v) playing improperly from in-hand, including at the opening stroke;
(vi) causing the cue-ball to miss all object balls;
(vii) causing the cue-ball to enter a pocket;
(viii) causing the cue-ball to be snookered behind a free ball, except as provided for in Section 3 Rule 12(b)(ii);
(ix) playing a jump shot;
(x) playing with a non-standard cue; or
(xi) conferring with a partner contrary to Section 3 Rule 17(e);

15. Ball Moved by Other than Striker
If a ball, stationary or moving, is disturbed other than by the striker, it shall be re-positioned by the referee to the place he judges the ball was, or would have finished, without penalty.
(a) This Rule shall include cases where another occurrence or person, other than the striker’s partner, causes the striker to move a ball, but will not apply in cases where a ball moves due to any defect in the table surface, except in the case where a spotted ball moves before the next stroke has been made.
(b) No player shall be penalised for any disturbance of balls by the referee

You say the 7 point penalty was clear enough, and yes, in your case it was correct, because you were on a colour which you handn't nominated. However, if you'd just potted a colour and it had been respotted and you wre on a red, then the penalty would only have been 4 points.

[tomw]

The penalty is still 4 points. The opponent wasn't on a colour since it wasn't his turn to play... ;-)

[Souwester]

The penalty is still 4 points. The opponent wasn't on a colour since it wasn't his turn to play... ;-)

The 'ball on' for any given shot is a ball that can be legally first struck by the striker (the striker being the correct person to play the stroke). The 'ball on' in the OP's scenario is a colour of his choice. Since a foul was committed before a colour had been nominated, then the penalty is 7 points.

[miscuehamburg]

So we did the right thing then. Thank you for clarification