Opinion is divided on who should hold the Ashes urn.

Australia has "won" the trophy by claiming the first four matches of the five-Test series, which concludes this week.

But according to tradition, the urn shall remain on display at the famous London cricket ground Lord's, the home of cricket.

The urn is currently on a tour of Australia but Virgin Atlantic airline boss Richard Branson, whose company is under contract to return the urn to England, said the trophy should stay in Australia.

Sydney fan James Christie, wearing a blond spiky wig and a white cricket shirt with "Thommo" written in black texta across it, says it's Australia's turn to hang onto the urn.

"I fully agree that we should have them," he said.

"The winning country should keep the urn for the period that they hold them for, so we should have them at least until the next series (in 2009).

"They do it in other sports, most sports, they hand over the trophy."

Christie, from the northern suburb of Mosman, was part of a 10-man party dedicated to honouring Australian cricket heroes.

His friends sported white shirts with the names of Boonie (David Boon), Merv (Hughes), DK (Dennis Lillee), Gilly (Adam Gilchrist), (Andrew) Symonds, Dizzy (Jason Gillespie), Warney (Shane Warne), Bruce Reid and Richie Benaud.

England fans Steve Marriott and Finlay McIntosh were split on the future home for the Ashes urn.

"Branson's never been interested in cricket before," said Marriott, who has travelled out from London to see the last three Tests of the series.

"The tradition says they should stay at Lord's, so why change tradition?"

But McIntosh, from Fleet in Hampshire, added in a sporting gesture: "No, I think Australia have them."

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