sometimes, good umpires also make mistakes. When the mistake results in a drastic change in the match’s result, we make a huge hue and cry, the world as we know it ends, and we contemplate retirement from cricket observation.
but, when the same umpire makes a mistake, which has nothing to do with the eventual outcome of the game, but only deals with a provision in the rulebook regarding when to call time on a session, and then suddenly reverts, acknowledging his mistake, you smile.
If the said umpire is billy bowden, you laugh.
Bangladesh were 9 down, and at the end of the 72nd over Billy called tea, took off the bails and started walking towards the legside umpire when suddenly it hit him. You cannot call tea if the team is 9 down, you have to extend it to another half an hour or till the wicket falls.
He immidiately apologised to the entire cosmos.
We laughed.
If the said umpire is billy bowden, you laugh.