As for his compatriots at the Open, the action going on 55 miles away at Old Trafford has been an irresistible distraction, given the outlandish prospect of one of the great days for Australian sport looming for Sunday.

With the final day of the Test clashing with the denouement at the 151st Open, it was an English journalist who whetted Smith’s appetite by asking him whether he fancied Australia retaining the Ashes on the same day he retained the Claret Jug.

“Yeah, that would be unreal,” responded Smith, eyes lighting up.

He said he’d been watching the the first three “amazing” Tests and had been listening on the radio or watching on TV whenever the chance arose while warming up at Royal Liverpool.

“I’m a cricket fan when I’m down in Australia and the Big Bash is on, but it’s been hard to watch the Ashes, given how we’ve been playing events through most of it. But I always manage to keep an eye on The Ashes as well.

“Hopefully, the Aussie boys can get it done this week. Going into a fifth Test with the series still undecided could be a bad thing, but I’d just like them to get it done now.”

He’s not the only one. Min Woo Lee got so engrossed in the series that he managed to get to Headingley to watch the opening day of the third Test and see his pal Mitch Marsh smash a century.

“It was awesome, my first time at the Ashes, and I don’t know why but Mitch has batted awesome every time I’ve seen him play. He might need to give me a ticket every time I’m nearby,” smiled Lee.

Marsh did well enough on Wednesday too, scoring another half-century on another fascinatingly-poised day in the series. When it concludes next week at the Oval, Lee hopes to be there again – hopefully as Open champion.

The golfers are not the only Australian sports personalities over in England who have been getting behind Pat Cummins’ men. F1 driver Oscar Piastri visited the team at Lord’s in the the build-up to the second Test, alongside Geelong’s AFL legend Joel Selwood.