Under which circumstance can a bowl be declared dead?

A bowl can be declared dead when it is not a toucher and rests in the ditch because, in the game of bowls, only those bowls that are categorized as touchers can remain in play after landing in the ditch. If a bowl that is not a toucher comes to rest in the ditch, it is effectively out of play and is declared dead. This ensures that only the valid, playable bowls affect the outcome of the end.

In other scenarios, such as when a bowl hits the jack and continues, it remains in play because it has not landed in a dead area. When a bowl is played out of bounds but later re-enters the rink, it is not declared dead since it becomes a playable bowl again upon returning to the correct area. Similarly, a bowl crossing the mat line into the ditch is not automatically declared dead until it is ascertained whether it is a toucher; the status can only be confirmed following the specific rules governing touchers in each situation.