After 1888, there was a gap of two years before England and Australia met again in the Ashes. In the interim period, South Africa had become the third Test-playing nation in the meantime, and England had played a series against them.
It was, therefore, not until the summer of 1890 that Australia landed on English shores again, to play what was meant to be a three-match series.
In the event, though, the third Test match, at Old Trafford, Manchester, had to be abandoned without a ball being bowled due to bad weather.
The action began at Lord’s, where Australia won the toss and chose to bat. Opener J.J. Lyons made 55 and his partner Charlie Turner 24, but only one other member of the team made it into double figures and they were all out for 132, William Attewell taking 4-42.
England, in reply, were 20/4 at one stage, but 74 from George Lloyd and 34 from Maurice Read helped them recover to 173. Lyons took 5-30.
In the Australian second innings, Jack Barrett carried his bat for an unbeaten 67, and Lyons again made a solid contribution with 33, as the tourists compiled 176.
That left England needing 136 to win, and they reached their target for the loss of three wickets, largely thanks to 75 from W.G. Grace.
The teams then made the short trip to The Oval for the second Test.
Australia again won the toss and chose to bat, but it proved a questionable decision as they were bowled out for only 92, despite 39 from Harry Trott. Fred Martin took 6-50 for England.
England, though, scarcely did better. They were bowled out for 100, J.J. Ferris taking 4-25 and Percie Charlton 3-18.
But in what was low-scoring match all round, Australia could only muster 102 in their second innings, with Martin taking another six wickets, to make it 12 in all across the match.
England needed just 95 to win, but they made incredibly hard work of it before they finally stumbled over the line. Ferris took 5-49 but his efforts, in the end, proved in vain.