An all-rounder who batted in the middle order and often opened the bowling with medium-paced off-spin, Giffen captained Australia during the 1894–95 Ashes series and was the first Australian to score 10,000 runs and take 500 wickets in first-class cricket.

[2] In November 1877 Giffen made his first-class cricket debut, against Tasmania at the Adelaide Oval.

[9][10] In the celebrated match against England—later designated a Test match—Giffen made 2 runs in the first innings but was dismissed by Ted Peate for a duck in the second.

[11] Australia, through a magnificent bowling effort from Fred Spofforth and Harry Boyle, won the match by seven runs.

A mock obituary placed in The Sporting Times lamented "the death of English cricket" and noted that "The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.

"[12] Ivo Bligh and his English team arrived in Australia in 1882–83 determined to win back "the Ashes".

He followed this with his best figures with the ball, capturing 4/38 in the England second innings, helping Australia to a nine wicket victory.

[20] An English team led by Alfred Shaw toured Australia in 1884–85 to contest the Ashes.

[21] Giffen, in a sign of things to come, made a remarkable double for South Australia against Victoria in March 1886.

Wisden Cricketers' Almanack remarked that "there is nothing to place the [Australians] on any higher standard than would have been attained by any good county team that went playing about the country".

[30][31] Giffen was emphatically the success of the tour, and the fact that he came out first in both batting and bowling speaks volumes for his excellence.

Giffen played his last Test in 1896 but remained a force at the first-class level for some time, at the age of 41 he captured 13 English wickets to steer South Australia to a victory over the tourists.

George though has often been accused of more than a sprinkling of nepotism, using his influence to try to help his brother Walter Giffen.

Walter played Test cricket for Australia despite below average performances for South Australia and when George was named Captain of the 1894 tour Walter having made 11 runs in his three Tests to date and a poor domestic season was also named, many believing because of George's influence over the selection.

He has also been accused of causing the demise of cricketer Charlie Turner who was the country's leading wicket taker at the time, and then, in the following test which Australia needed to win, opening the bowling with himself.

[34] "He would cap brilliant runs that paralysed all opposition with superb kicks, turning in a moment the whole tide of play.