Two English cricket teams toured Australia in 1887-88. They are generally known as A. Shrewsbury's XI and G. F. Vernon's XI. Shrewsbury's XI visited New Zealand in March. In previous Australian seasons, no more than one English team had toured. The formation of two teams in 1887-88 was described by Wisden as "a piece of folly (that) will never be perpetrated again". The situation was perhaps inevitable given that English cricket still lacked a formal system to regulate the organisation of overseas tours. As a result, any promoter was free to form a team.