The 12th Test Series between England and Australia took place in the 1888 English cricket season. England retained the Ashes with a 2-1 win after losing the First Test.
After a run of disastrous results over a number of seasons, Derbyshire was demoted from first-class status and the 1888 Championship was contested by only eight teams: Gloucestershire, Kent, Lancashire, Middlesex, Notts, Surrey, Sussex and Yorkshire. Derbyshire recovered first-class status in 1894 and rejoined the Championship in 1895.
On 5 July, the formation of Glamorgan CCC took place at a meeting in the Angel Hotel, Cardiff.
