EDs: please not language in the third par.

By James MacSmith

SYDNEY, Jan 8 AAP – Steve Smith blew his stack at Channel Nine’s Spidercam at the SCG on Thursday as the high tech floating camera helped to prevent Australia taking a crucial Indian wicket on day three of the fourth Test.

As Smith chased a KL Rahul top edge around from first slip off Shane Watson late in the first session the ‘eye in the sky’ broadcasting device hovered him, before the captain grassed the difficult chance.

As he lay sprawled on the turf behind the wicket, Smith gesticulated to the Spidercam device above him and could be seen clearly mouthing the words “f***ing wire”.

Channel Nine commentator Ian Healy’s immediate reaction was to say: ” I think it’s hit the wire”.

After several replays of the incident, that couldn’t be confirmed, with Healy saying:

“It might not have hit the wire it might have just distracted him.”

Either way the Spidercam played a ‘guardian angel’ ‘role for Rahul and the device and its supporting wires definitely contributed to the missed opportunity.

In the replays Smith could be seen struggling to sight the ball, the shadow of which appeared to shift dramatically at one point as the ball fell.

The Spidercam incident was one of a number of close shaves for Rahul who notched up his maiden Test century shortly before lunch.

Midway thorough the first session, he tripped over in the middle of the wicket as he scrambled to return to the non-strikers end after being sent back from a quick single by Virat Kohli.

Rahul dropped his bat and appeared to injure his shoulder as he stumped back to his crease, only some poor fielding from substitute Pat Cummins, who was unaware of the run out chance and simply lobbed the ball to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin at the other end, saved the youngster in a highly comical passage of play.