'People keep ribbing me' over the series finishing before I get there.

England supporters down under

Beautiful weather, classic snacks and legendary venues - what more could an England cricket fan possibly want?

Well, perhaps an contest for the urn in Australia where they still have a chance to win back the Ashes once the opening games are done.

This is not the case during this tour, after Australia's crushing 82-run win in Adelaide gave Australia 3-0 up for the fourth successive Ashes series on their own soil.

England's famous supporters' group, the organized fan base, have a large group making the journey for the final two Tests in the SCG and MCG.

There are also organized trips who will celebrate the holidays down under, as well as loved ones planning a special expedition.

Fans with Booked Tickets

The Ryding siblings are four such fans.

The group had their travel arrangements and match passes secured for the Melbourne and Sydney matches "well ahead of time", anticipating a historic English victory.

From afar, they've seen Australia defeat England convincingly in just 11 days from their house in Penwortham, Lancashire.

"Everyone at work has been making comments regarding the concluded contest for the last two weeks," said Sam.

"We always thought that we would have the series on the line still when we got there."

Lowered Expectations

Optimism was high concerning a potential victory of breaking a 15-year drought for a triumph on Australian soil before it began.

However, the situation is now looking at the possibility of prolonging a streak without victory in the country to 19 matches when the Boxing Day Test begins in the MCG on Christmas Day.

Ben Stokes' side - and their fans - will be keen to prevent a dreaded 5-0 scoreline.

One sibling noted the "thrill and enjoyment" of head coach the positive style of play in the past couple of seasons had "reinvigorated" the longest format for England fans.

But the Ryding siblings said they had low expectations for the final two games - and all they are asking for from the players is "a bit of fight".

"Every pundit points it out, but it all comes down to psychological strength. 'The aggressive approach has been elevated to a term now that is just, like, impractical batting," stated Rory Ryding.

"During a long match, you should dig in. Chasing balls 'sixth stump' areas has not been part of the textbooks, and that is primarily due to the top order."

Future Prospects

Prompted about he believed England will triumph in a Test in this contest, Sam said: "The evidence suggests the hosts are a stronger side currently."

"It will require more than one player that delivers for the team and makes a big impact."

Despite the scoreline, the fans are excited about the trip.

"We are going to have a fantastic experience nonetheless," added another sibling. "We must adopt that attitude."

"Of course, it's disappointing we don't have more to play for, but we have invested a significant amount already."

"We plan to savor having Christmas and New Year in Australia. It is also our first experience away from home at this time of year."

An educator, Katie is focused on enjoying the 21,000-mile round-trip as part of her time off.

"If all else fails, I can play golf to turn to," she added.

Karen Payne
Karen Payne

A seasoned gambling analyst with over a decade of experience in reviewing online casinos and slot games across Europe.