During the 2022 New Year’s Ashes Test at the SCG, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison walked into the Fox Cricket broadcast studio ahead of a brief cameo in the commentary box.

Some of cricket’s modern greats were in the room — Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Mark Waugh — but Morrison was desperate to get a selfie with one person. Shane Warne.

Unfortunately, the King of Spin was having a nap under a table when Morrison entered the room, so a Cricket Australia staff member had to gently nudge him awake with their foot.

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“He got up and shook the Prime Minister’s hand,” Fox Cricket commentator Mark Howard recalled.

“The one person that the Prime Minister wanted to get a selfie with was Warnie, and I think that’s a reflection on where he was held within the Australian community and the world cricket community.”

Howard has now been part of eight home summers with Fox Cricket, calling some of the sport’s iconic moments, including Scott Boland’s seven-fa on debut at the MCG and India’s Gabba miracle in 2021.

But the moment that stands out to Howard remains the 2024 day-night Test in Brisbane, when wounded West Indies seamer Shamar Joseph inspired a historic victory with a seven-wicket haul in the fourth innings.

“Watching Brian Lara in tears was probably the one that stands out to me,” Howard said.

“Just to show the passion of the man and his love for Test cricket and the pride of what his country had done.”

Fox Cricket presenters Shane Warne, Michael Hussey and Mark Howard in 2019.Source: AAP

During his eight years at Fox Cricket, Howard has had the opportunity to work alongside what he describes as “the best cricket commentary team in the world”.

“It’s just a privilege to go in every day and sit beside them all and listen to what they’ve got to say about the game,” he said.

“Mark Waugh is brilliant because he has an incredible understanding of the game, but he’s also funny without trying to be funny.

“Michael Vaughan is also someone I love sitting next to because he gets that we are in the entertainment business, and then you add Skull (Kerry O’Keeffe) into that mix as well. Skull’s a genius and he knows more about the game than anyone I’ve ever worked with.”

But according to Howard, the “No. 1 cricket caller on the planet” has to be New Zealand’s Ian Smith, famous for the “by the barest of margins” call during the 2019 World Cup final at Lord’s.

The Black Caps are touring Australian shores next summer for a four-Test series, and Howard would love to see Smith return to the Fox Cricket commentary box.

“I’m sure there’ll be those clamouring for Smithy’s services,” Howard said.

“I just spent three weeks with him in Sri Lanka … for me, my favourite cricket commentator to sit and listen to is Ian Smith in any format of the game.

“He’s just got an unbelievable way with words. He’s called some of the biggest moments.

“We’ve had him out here numerous times at Fox … if Fox were able to secure his services (next summer), that would be a massive boom for the coverage.”

Fox Cricket commentator Mark Howard interviews Usman Khawaja. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

On Sunday evening, Cricket Australia confirmed its schedule for the 2026/27 summer, headlined by a Test tour of South Africa, hosting New Zealand for the Trans-Tasman Trophy and a Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign against India in the subcontinent. All 15 Tests will be shown live and ad-break free on Foxtel and Kayo Sports.

“There’s challenges galore for the Australians in many ways,” Howard said.

“The first time we go back to South Africa, after the issues we had there (in 2018), for three Tests in October, which should be a challenge. South Africa are the world Test champions, so that’s a difficult start.

”Then four Tests in the space of a month taking on the Kiwis is obviously going to put pressure on players, it’s such a short period of time to play the four Test matches, and then five straight after in India.”

The 2026/27 summer concludes with a 150th-anniversary Test between Australia and England at the MCG, with the sesquicentennial fixture commencing on March 11.

The contest will be a day-night fixture with the pink Kookaburra, a decision that has prompted plenty of debate.

“I can see arguments for both sides,” Howard said.

”When you’re celebrating 150 years of Test cricket, for 145 years of that it’s been red-ball cricket, so that would be the obvious advantage.

“But I also completely understand that we need to keep audiences engaged in Test cricket, so a 10am start during the school and the work week, you’re going to vastly cut down on crowds.

“As much as I would love to see it being a red-ball Test match, the fact that you expose a greater audience to it at this stage when Test cricket can be seen to be under siege in various parts of the world, I can completely understand why they’re doing that.”

Mark Howard with Travis Head in 2024. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Australia will host New Zealand for four Tests within a 31-day window, a brutal schedule for the fast bowlers on both sides.

The silver lining, according to Howard, is Australia may get an opportunity to unleash some young quicks if the experienced trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins can’t play every match.

Seamers Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett stepped up in the absence of Hazlewood and Cummins during the recent Ashes triumph, while there could be more chances for Test caps on the horizon.

”We saw Jhye Richardson come in late last summer, I think he’s a tremendous bowler with enormous potential,” Howard said.

“But it would be great to see potentially one of the young quicks get an opportunity. Lance Morris has had that ability to bowl 145km/h-plus, and then we saw in Big Bash Mahli Beardman. It would be fantastic to see him, he bowls quick, bowls over 140km.h and bowls outswing, which is pretty exciting for anyone to watch in Test cricket.

“As much as I’d love to be still watching Starc, Hazelwood and Cummins in five years, it’s not going to happen, so it would be great to see some of the new younger bowlers come through and get an opportunity, if for any reason those big three can’t be out there.”

A Melburnian, Howard is especially excited for Boxing Day at the MCG — the previous time New Zealand played the marquee fixture in 2019, 80,473 fans walked through the turnstiles.

“Any time when you get to be out before the start of play, talking to the players, as a Melbourne boy when you’re walking around on Boxing Day morning and there’s 90,000 in the MCG, it’s something that still gives me goosebumps,” he said.

“To have the privilege to be in that situation is something that really resonates with me.”