Long after the trophies have been presented, the champagne has been consumed and the analysis completed, memories of one passage of play in this World Cup will linger. Wahab Riaz versus Shane Watson. Andrew Fidel Fernando's mesmerising description of that conflagration captures its magic. This was what cricket at its pomp can be - riveting and brutal.So on the following morning when the ICC fined the combatants, Wahab 50% and Watson 15%, of their match fee the outrage was instantaneous. There go the suits again in Dubai. Distant from the game. Officious. Surely, these pen pushers don't know anything about the game they run. And the mockery began.I was among those trigger-happy tweeters who shot off from their keyboards, within seconds of the ICC's formal communication landing in my inbox.

the ICC have fined shane watson 15% and wahab riaz 50% for producing the most compelling passage of play in the tournament so far #CWC15 — Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) March 21, 2015

Almost instantly most of my "followers" agreed. Chest puffed, I thought, job well done here.

Except I was wrong. And I was stupid.Watson was fined for "conduct contrary to the spirit of the game", while Wahab was punished for "using language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an International Match".But here's the important detail many of us overlooked: Wahab and Watson had been fined for an incident in the 33rd over. Much after the spell in question, which played out between overs 11 and 19, where Wahab persistently troubled Watson, glaring and gesticulating in an attempt to provoke his dismissal and inspire his teammates.It is here that the ICC release demands further attention. "Watson ignored the umpires' instructions and verbally engaged with Wahab, who, at the end of the over, followed through towards the batsman and used aggressive and abusive language," it says.Now let us attempt to replicate what we have here to an everyday situation. Two performers, lets say mimicry artists, show up in front of your apartment complex. A crowd collects and is soon enjoying the spectacle. The local law enforcement officer appears on the scene and takes stock. "Hmmm, no laws are being broken here but I better just have a quiet word with these guys," he thinks to himself. "Ok gentlemen, keep this going, but be careful, no profanities, no abuse, no taking off your clothes and making a scene. Understood?"A few minutes later, when the policeman returns, he sees that friendly warning has been ignored. The mimics have descended into everything he asked them not to. What is the man meant to do? Throw the rulebook at them or let them continue as if nothing is amiss? If they are castigated, is it fair to argue that only a little while earlier these guys were giving so much joy to an audience. So what, as their act continued, they happened to violate some rules. Come on. Don't be such a party pooper.The problem with that argument is it demands from the law enforcement officer, in this case the umpires, a dereliction of their duty. Sample this from the ESPNcricinfo commentary: