Giffen was selected to tour England with the Australian team in 1882. He was moderately successful, taking 32 wickets at an average of 21.84 and making 699 runs averaging 19.02. 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. Australia, through a magnificent bowling effort from Fred Spofforth and Harry Boyle, won the match by seven runs. The match was the origin of the term "The Ashes" for Test series between the two nations. 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."