The Ashes are here… and Mitch and Alex take us into the final countdown, and take you right inside the inner sanctum as the Aussie boys switch fully into game mode.

Starcy fires things up from the boarding lounge in Sydney before taking us all the way across the country to Perth, where the final week of prep unfolds. Both boys walk us through everything that matters in the countdown to the first ball: the meetings, the match intel, the fine-tuning at training and even the go-to room-service orders once they hit hotel life.

There’s insight into how Australia plans to attack England, what they’re seeing in the Perth Stadium wicket, and just how much spice might be hiding in that surface. The lads share what they’ve noticed, how they’ll play it, and what’s going into the tactical blueprint.

There’s team news. There’s tension. And then there’s Howie jumping on a plane to head west to join the Fox Cricket and Triple M call teams, where even the hotel check-in is humming with Ashes energy.

The prep is done. The hype is fever pitch. Now… it’s time for action.

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There’s no better time to hear from one of the greatest run-makers the game has ever seen. How he prepares. How he adapts. How he’s hardened by past Ashes'. And how life under Brendon McCullum has completely rejuvenated him and the England set-up.

Across more than a decade at the top, Root has piled up mountains of Test runs, rewritten English cricket history, and carried the hopes of a nation with a smile and a steely determination. But behind the numbers sits a bloke who is down-to-earth, driven and constantly learning.

England’s batting giant, record-breaker, and modern master joins Howie for a wide-ranging, honest and insightful conversation.

It’s a terrific look into the mindset of one of the greatest English batters of all time, right as the biggest, most anticipated Ashes series in recent memory is about to start.

***

Follow the Howie Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehowiegamespod/

Follow the Howie Games on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehowiegames

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s no better time to hear from one of the greatest run-makers the game has ever seen. How he prepares. How he adapts. How he’s hardened by past Ashes'. And how life under Brendon McCullum has completely rejuvenated him and the England set-up.

Across more than a decade at the top, Root has piled up mountains of Test runs, rewritten English cricket history, and carried the hopes of a nation with a smile and a steely determination. But behind the numbers sits a bloke who is down-to-earth, driven and constantly learning.

England’s batting giant, record-breaker, and modern master joins Howie for a wide-ranging, honest and insightful conversation.

It’s a terrific look into the mindset of one of the greatest English batters of all time, right as the biggest, most anticipated Ashes series in recent memory is about to start.

***

Follow the Howie Games on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehowiegamespod/

Follow the Howie Games on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehowiegames

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Aussie Ashes squad is in and the countdown is well and truly on. We dive into one of the great unspoken pillars of elite sport: feedback, and how the best in the world learn to live with it.

Across early-morning entries, late-night reflections and a couple of classic check-ins, Mitch Starc and Alex Carey take us inside the mental side of cricket at the absolute highest level.

Mitch opens up about the flood of external attention and how he’s learned over his journey to sort the white noise from the gold. From the best feedback he’s ever received, to the lessons that have shaped a decade of international cricket, Mitch is honest, raw and razor sharp.

Then it’s Alex Carey’s turn. Kez walks us through the aftermath of that Bairstow moment, the noise that followed, and the feedback that mattered most. He shares how he processed it all.

And just when you think the boys are cruising toward Ashes camp… chaos. Mitch takes us into a crucial Sheffield Shield hit-out - a key milestone in his final prep - only for the match to unravel with hamstring injuries to Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott. It’s the full reality of elite cricket one week out from the biggest series on earth.

Lock in. The final countdown is on. And we are in seat 1A!

***

Ashes Diaries release schedule. Subscribe to the Howie Games feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Monday October 20 - Episode 1 - Rivalry

Friday October 24 - Episode 2 - Ouch

Monday October 27 - Episode 3 - A Numbers Game

Friday October 31 - Episode 4 - Lights, Camera, Action

Monday November 3 - Episode 5 - Dad

Friday November 7 - Episode 6 - Do What You Love

Monday November 10 - Episode 7 - Nice Garry

Friday November 14 - Episode 8 - Roulette

Monday November 17 - Episode 9

Tuesday November 25 - Episode 10

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What’s life really like on the road as an Australian cricketer? Mitch Starc and Alex Carey take us behind the scenes.. from airports, flights, hotels and endless baggage runs, to the moments of fun that keep the team bonded.

We roll into Adelaide for the ODI series, where Alex hosts a team dinner featuring good food, better wine… and then a few stories on credit card roulette! Who picks up the tab when the boys go out for dinner?

There’s plenty of laughter, travel tales, and stories from dinners shared with the who’s who of Aussie cricket. Plus, we farewell legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and review the white ball series against India, before Mitch makes a surprise trip to India.

From chaos to camaraderie, this is what life between, during and after matches really looks like.

***

Ashes Diaries release schedule. Subscribe to the Howie Games feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Monday October 20 - Episode 1 - Rivalry

Friday October 24 - Episode 2 - Ouch

Monday October 27 - Episode 3 - A Numbers Game

Friday October 31 - Episode 4 - Lights, Camera, Action

Monday November 3 - Episode 5 - Dad

Friday November 7 - Episode 6 - Do What You Love

Monday November 10 - Episode 7 - Nice Garry

Friday November 14 - Episode 8 - Roulette

Monday November 17 - Episode 9

Tuesday November 25 - Episode 10

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One of the greatest batsmen England has ever produced... and he’s on our shores, sitting down with Howie for a chat that’s as entertaining as one of his cover drives.

From cooking steaks (yes, in England!) to his first job, plus what it would mean to him to share one last dinner with Shane Warne and plenty more.

Before we get to know the real Joe Root, the cricketing genius, the family man, the fun-loving Yorkshire lad, enjoy his Player Profile.

Bring on The Ashes!

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Ashes prep is starting to get real. From white ball, to red ball and everything in between. Including, a special catch up with Nathan Lyon.

Mitch Starc goes from his first hit back in the nets, to life back on the road. While Alex Carey gets some crucial red-ball time for South Australia in a Sheffield Shield final rematch, up against an in-form Marnus Labuschagne… who’s making a serious case for his Ashes return.

And then there are nerves. The beautiful, brutal part of sport that every elite athlete learns to live with.

From sponsor shoots to long days at Cricket Central, from early-morning Shield prep to the chaos of school runs before training. The grind, excitement, and professionalism of Ashes build-up are on full display.

It captures the tension, excitement, and emotion of the calm before the Ashes storm.

***

Ashes Diaries release schedule. Subscribe to the Howie Games feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Monday October 20 - Episode 1 - Rivalry

Friday October 24 - Episode 2 - Ouch

Monday October 27 - Episode 3 - A Numbers Game

Friday October 31 - Episode 4 - Lights, Camera, Action

Monday November 3 - Episode 5 - Dad

Friday November 7 - Episode 6 - Do What You Love

Monday November 10 - Episode 7 - Nice Garry

Friday November 14 - Episode 8 - Roulette

Monday November 17 - Episode 9

Tuesday November 25 - Episode 10

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mitch Starc unpacks the Aussie skipper's injury concerns as fast bowlers continue to go down - it's the brutal reality of injuries in cricket — and what it really takes to get back on the park.

Alex Carey speaking with raw honesty after the passing of his father. From heartbreak to high performance, Carey’s courage to “do what you love” shines through in a powerful and emotional chat from New Zealand.

From Mitch's first bowl to batters in weeks, to mowing the lawn (with the Howie Games in his ears ofcourse), Starc opens up about the grind, the setbacks, and the simple love of the game.

Cricket season roars to life post-AFL Grand Final — with Usman Khawaja joining from the ‘G. Plus, team news, injury updates, and a stirring reminder that behind every stat, there’s a story.

***

Ashes Diaries release schedule. Subscribe to the Howie Games feed so you don’t miss an episode!

Monday October 20 - Episode 1 - Rivalry

Friday October 24 - Episode 2 - Ouch

Monday October 27 - Episode 3 - A Numbers Game

Friday October 31 - Episode 4 - Lights, Camera, Action

Monday November 3 - Episode 5 - Dad

Friday November 7 - Episode 6 - Do What You Love

Monday November 10 - Episode 7

Friday November 14 - Episode 8

Monday November 17 - Episode 9

Tuesday November 25 - Episode 10

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.