PERTH, Jan 17: The unprecedented popularity of this summer's Ashes tour has been reflected at the turnstiles, with more than 1.3 million fans expected to have attended international cricket by the end of the triangular one-day series.

A statement released by Cricket Australia on Wednesday revealed the combined crowd figure for international matches this season was expected to pass the one million mark on Sunday, when Australia hosts New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

In a massive financial boon for Cricket Australia, almost 950,000 fans have already attended international matches this season, smashing a host of attendance records in the process.

More than 40,000 supporters are expected to attend Friday's clash between England and Australia in Brisbane.

The million mark should then be broken in Sunday's game.

It will be only the fifth time the milestone has been achieved since 1970-71.

The overall attendance record of 1,117,475 set back in 1982-83 is sure to fall, with nine triangular series round robin matches still to be played, plus up to three finals.—AFP