After the English cricket team's tour of Australia in 1932–33, known for the Bodyline bowling tactics used by the English team, relations between the Australian Board of Control and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) were strained. In the English winter of 1935–36, the MCC sent a team to tour Australia and New Zealand, in an attempt to regain some good will in Australia. Holmes captained the side, which was predominantly composed of younger players the MCC wanted to gain experience. Mitchell-Innes was included in the touring party, and played in ten first-class matches, including two of the four contests against the New Zealand national cricket team. He scored four first-class half-centuries, achieving his highest score of the tour against Otago, when he contributed 87 runs to the MCC's total of 550.