While in Australia, England also played a number of tour matches against state and representative teams, and competed in two One-Day International (ODI) tournaments.

Considering the losses that both teams had sustained, it was only natural that many felt this series was merely a battle for Test cricket's Wooden spoon.

The performances of Victorian batsmen Dean Jones and the new opening pair of David Boon and Geoff Marsh had been noted.

The England squad that flew out to Australia on 9 October 1986 had a number of significant absentees from the previous series win; Graham Gooch was absent for personal reasons, while Tim Robinson and Richard Ellison had been dropped following poor performances against West Indies.

Allan Lamb and tour debutant James Whitaker hit centuries while spinner John Emburey found form.

It also marked the end of a depressing run of fourteen losses for the England team (including Test and tour matches).

It was part of the celebrations marking Australia's defence of the America's Cup yachting competition which was taking place simultaneously in nearby Fremantle.

The games were played over a league basis and in coloured clothing, with Pakistan beating the West Indies in the first match under the new WACA floodlights.

England then inflicted a defeat over the then-dominant West Indies before beating Pakistan in a "dress rehearsal" of the final.

Australia had a significantly better time than they had in the Perth Challenge, winning five of their eight qualifying games to top the group, ahead of England, with the West Indies eliminated.

Philip DeFreitas, in his debut tour, eventually turned into an effective bowler for England, though he was never able to live up to the "Black Botham" tag that some had given him.

Dean Jones lived up to his promise, while Steve Waugh, after a long period of time, finally began to deliver on his ability and was one of Australia's most important players in the 1990s.

Australia's bowlers, notably Geoff Lawson, Merv Hughes and Craig McDermott, all returned to form and were integral parts of future teams that defeated England in 1989, 1990–91, 1993, and 1994–95.