English cricket teams in Australia and New Zealand in 1887–88

[1] The situation was perhaps inevitable given that English cricket still lacked a formal system to regulate the organisation of overseas tours.

Wisden pointed out that "it was clear from the first that two combinations would not be able to pay their way, and, though we do not know the exact result of Shaw, Shrewsbury, and Lillywhite's venture, the Melbourne Club frankly admitted a heavy loss over Mr Vernon's team".

[1] This team was formed by James Lillywhite, Alfred Shaw and Arthur Shrewsbury after they received an invitation from various parties in Sydney.

The tour was a financial disaster, with the Melbourne Cricket Club, Lillywhite, Shaw and Shrewsbury well out-of-pocket.

They played New South Wales three times and individual matches versus Victoria and a Combined XI.

M B Hawke, was invited by Melbourne Cricket Club to form this team which, like Shrewsbury's, comprised both amateurs and professionals.

Hawke had to return to England at the start of the tour as his father had died, leaving George Vernon to captain the side.

[4] England's team in the Test match was: Walter Read (captain), Arthur Shrewsbury, Andrew Stoddart, George Ulyett, Maurice Read, Bobby Peel, Billy Newham, George Lohmann, Johnny Briggs, William Attewell and Dick Pilling (wk).