Having won on home soil earlier in the year, England returned to Australia in the winter to play a five-Test series for the first time.
The series began in Adelaide, where Australia won the toss and batted first, making 243, with Percy McDonnell making more than half of them with 124. Billy Bates took 5-31.
Billy Barnes (134), ably supported by William Scotton (82) and George Ulyett (68) helped England post 369 in reply.
McDonnell then made 83 in Australia’s second innings, but with Bobby Peel taking 5-51, they were all out for 191, meaning England needed 66 to win. They got there for the loss of two wickets.
The action switched to Melbourne for the second Test, with England winning the toss and batting first.
Johnny Briggs made 121, captain Arthur Shrewsbury 72, and a half century from Barnes helped them rack up 401.
Australia replied making 279, Affie Jarvis top-scoring with 82, while there was 63 from Tom Horan.
The rules at the time allowed England to enforce the follow-on, which they duly did, bowling the home side out for just 126, Barnes claiming 6-31.
That meant England needed just 5 to win which they managed without losing a wicket.
The third Test in Sydney was a much closer affair.
This time it was Australia, winning the toss who batted first, making 181. Will Flowers took 5-46 and Tom Garrett top scoring for Australia with an unbeaten 51. England were then bowled out for just 133, Horan taking 6-40 and Fred Spofforth 4-54.
In their second innings, Australia were all out for 165, Bates taking 5-24.
But set 214 to win, the tourists fell 7 runs short, despite Maurice Read and Flowers both scoring 56, and Spofforth taking another six wickets.
The fourth Test took place on the same ground, and it resulted in another Australian victory.
England batting first made 269, Bates top-scoring for them with 64, whilst Billy Barnes scored 50.
In reply, Australia were 134/7, but George Bonner, batting at number eight, scored 128, supported by Sammy Jones with 40.
They helped Australia reach 309, and then the bowlers got to work, Spofforth taking 5 wickets and Joey Palmer 4, as the visitors were dismissed for just 77.
Australia reached their target of 38, with eight wickets in hand.
That made the fifth Test in Melbourne the decider.
Australia batted first, this time compiling 414, thanks to 74 from Joe Darling, 70 from Syd Gregory, and half centuries from George Giffen and J.J. Lyons.
In reply, England were all out for 385, with Archie MacLaren (120), and Peel (73), and captain Andrew Stoddart (68) making solid contributions with the bat.
In their second innings Australia made 267, Giffen again leading the way for his side with 51.
But, set 297 to win, England chased that down for the loss of four wickets, thanks to 140 from Jack Brown and 93 from Albert Ward.
England had won the match and the series.