What should an umpire do if a bowl is measuring less than 14 metres from the mat line?

For a bowl to be considered valid in the game of bowls, it must travel a minimum distance of 14 metres from the mat line. If a bowl is found to measure less than this required distance, it does not meet the conditions set by the rules of the game. In this situation, the proper action for the umpire is to declare the bowl a dead bowl.

Declaring the bowl a dead bowl effectively means that it does not count as part of the game, as it failed to reach the minimum distance necessary for legal play. This maintains the integrity of the game and ensures that all players are adhering to the same set of standards.