Question:

A bowl comes to rest and then falls over and touches the jack whilst the next bowl is in course.  The Skip moves forward to mark it as a toucher to which the opposing Skip objects.  Is the bowl a toucher?

Answer:

No.  For the bowl to be a toucher it must touch the jack before the next bowl is delivered.  Law 14.2.1

 

Question:

A bowl, which had been a toucher in the previous end, is delivered with its chalk mark still on the bowl.  It does not touch the jack but the chalk mark is not removed.  As a result of play, several bowls later this bowl is forced into the ditch within the confines of the rink.

What should happen?

Answer:

If a player fails to remove a mark from a bowl before delivery and that bowl does not become a toucher, a member of the opposing team or the marker must remove the mark as soon as the bowl comes to rest.  Law 15.5

A bowl is dead if, not being a toucher, it comes to rest in the ditch.  Law 17.1.1