“He is more mature, he is more responsible and he has learned his lesson and people should at least acknowledge that. It is an experience that he can help other people with. Too often we look for perfection in people but they don’t have life experiences. He has had a huge life experience that they should be tapping into and using within his leadership capability. 

“The point I make very strongly is his leadership qualities are much greater now than they were at that time. His experience of the world is much greater than it was at that time. His appreciation of his gifts and the opportunities he has been given are much greater than at that time and his ability to impart that knowledge and help the younger generation come through is significantly greater than it was at that time. He has not relaxed his dedication to his sport but he is a more mellow, reflective and thoughtful individual now.”

Duffy also works with Cameron Bancroft, the cricketer who actually applied sandpaper to the ball and, through Bancroft, is the mindset coach for Durham, too. 

Duffy will watch Smith perform in the Ashes from the UK, unable to travel to Australia due to Covid restrictions, but he will recognise that it is all a far cry from when he was by Smith’s side as he was jostled at Cape Town airport, fleeing the country to go back to Australia and face the music. 

“I was there when he was taking all of the abuse coming out of Cape Town and we got a hell of a pasting at Cape Town airport,” he says. “We had been pulled over on our way there by the police. They said the driver did not have the right papers so they were going to take him away and leave us on the side of the motorway. We paid the fine immediately and moved on. I am not saying it was corrupt in any way shape or form but it was bizarre and a bit too much to chance. What he went through and the abuse he took was something I’d never encountered before. It was incredible. 

“But I spoke to him two days ago and he is ready for the Ashes again. He has learned. There is a greater determination of taking advantage of what has been given to him and he will have the same frame of mind this time as he did in the last Ashes in England, when he came back from the ball-tampering and did pretty well.”