1959 was the 60th season of County Championshipcricket in England. The Second XI Championship was established and, as a result, the involvement of first-class counties Second XIs in the Minor Counties Cricket Championship began to end, although it took several years before all county second XIs switched to the new competition. The season marked the end of Surrey's sequence of seven Championships, with Yorkshire winning the title. England defeated India 5–0 in the home Test series.
England won all five Tests against a disappointing India, including three innings victories. This was the first time England had won all five Tests in a single series.