Smith and Warner haven't been strangers since Cape Town. They both played in the new Twenty20 league in Canada and in the Caribbean Premier League. Between their obligations to train with their Sydney grade cricket teams they’ve also continued training at times with the NSW squad - as permitted by Cricket Australia during their 12-month bans - but usually not in the same session, from what this column is told. But the coffee chat was an opportunity for a more substantive conversation and a chance to smoke the peace pipe. From the way it’s been told to The Tonk, the outcome of the meeting depends very much on whether you listen to the version of Smith or Warner. Attempts to reach the two players and their representatives were unsuccessful on Thursday. What is clear is that the pair did not suddenly become besties again after a couple of lattes. There is a great deal of trust to be regained and because of the emotional toll of the South African scandal, there are deep wounds that still need to be healed. But the meeting is being viewed as a positive starting point. The reality is that Smith and Warner were not close as captain and vice-captain anyway, although things were not as toxic as they became between a leadership duo that came before them, Michael Clarke and Shane Watson.

It had been noticeable to close observers, in fact, that they had been working well together at the start of the South African tour. Warner had just turned up there from a successful stint as captain of Australia’s Twenty20 team, giving him a taste of national leadership which he thrived on. Loading Then came Warner’s run-in with Quinton de Kock in the stairwell at Kingsmead. The rest, as we know, is history.

For Smith, his international future probably doesn’t live or die by whether he restores some kind of relationship with Warner. He’ll be back next year anyway. But for Warner it’s an important step towards finding his way into the Australian team again. A batsman of his calibre is obviously just what Australia needs in England next year for the World Cup and Ashes but in this post-Longstaff world of officially selecting players on character as well as runs – as if that never was the case beforehand – team harmony will certainly be a consideration. Unless there is still drama brewing behind the scenes between any players about his return, though, you can bet the Australian coach Langer will want to be picking Warner.

Before then, Smith and Warner will again come face to face on Saturday week when their grade teams Sutherland and Randwick Petersham square off at Coogee Oval. The other tampering scandal...

Remember those innocent times in 2016 when South Africa were last on these shores and Faf du Plessis was at the centre of his own ball-tampering controversy? The Proteas captain was charged by the ICC for changing the condition of the ball during the second Test in Hobart after vision of him using a lolly to help shine one side of it emerged. What followed was an ugly altercation at Adelaide airport when the South Africans arrived there for the third Test. A Channel 9 reporter was on the end of some rough treatment from the Proteas’ touring security man Zunaid Wadee as he tried to extract a quote from du Plessis. Two years later, and with the Proteas in the country for a limited-overs campaign against Australia, starting in Perth on Sunday, they have declined to do any airport media opportunities during the course of their stay.