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Sunshine, meat pies and world-famous cricket grounds - what else would an England cricket fan ask for?

Realistically, they'd hope for an Ashes series in Australia where they remain in contention to secure the famous trophy after the first three Tests.

Unfortunately, this scenario is off the table during this tour, after Australia's crushing triumph in Adelaide left the home side with a 3-0 lead for the fourth consecutive series on home turf.

England's famous supporters' group, the organized fan base, have thousands of supporters making the journey for the concluding fixtures in Sydney and Melbourne.

Furthermore, other travel parties who will be vacationing down under, as well as loved ones heading for a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

The Ryding Siblings

The Ryding siblings are four such fans.

The four siblings had their itineraries and entry credentials arranged for the Boxing Day and New Year Tests "a full year in advance", dreaming of a rare England series success.

Instead, they have watched Australia dismantle the tourists in just under two weeks from their house in Penwortham, Lancashire.

"All my colleagues has been making comments about it being over for the last two weeks," said Sam.

"The hope was that we would have something to play for by the time we arrived."

Diminishing Hope

There was plenty of positivity about England's chances of ending their 15-year wait for a triumph on Australian soil before it began.

Yet now they are looking at the possibility of extending their winless run in the country to 19 matches when the fourth Test gets under way in Melbourne on Thursday, 25 December.

The England team - and their followers - will be hoping to sidestep a dreaded 5-0 scoreline.

Alex said the "excitement and fun" of head coach the aggressive 'Bazball' approach in recent times had "brought fresh energy to" the five-day game for England fans.

However, the group said they had minimal hopes for the fourth and fifth Tests - and all they are hoping for from the players is "a show of spirit".

"Every pundit references this, but it all is about fortitude. 'The aggressive approach has been turned into a buzzword now that is just, like, impractical batting," commented another sibling.

"Over the course of five days, you should dig in. Wafting outside 'outside the line has not been part of the textbooks, and that is largely because of the top order."

Looking Ahead

Prompted about he believed England will secure a victory in this Ashes series, Sam said: "It looks like the hosts are a stronger side right now."

"Necessarily, there must be more than one player that makes a significant contribution and makes a big impact."

Regardless of the result, the fans are anticipating the trip.

"We will have a wonderful trip regardless," added another sibling. "We must adopt that mindset."

"Obviously it is unfortunate we aren't fighting for more, but we have invested a significant amount already."

"We'll enjoy spending the festive season in Australia. This will be mine and Rory's first time abroad over Christmas."

An educator, Katie is intent on maximizing the long-haul travel as part of her Christmas holidays.

"Should the cricket disappoint, I can play golf to fall back on," she added.