 The squad was weakened by the absence of a number of players from the previous Ashes series who had become ineligible for selection; Graham Gooch, Geoff Boycott, John Emburey, Mike Hendrick, Alan Knott, Wayne Larkins, Chris Old, Peter Willey and Bob Woolmer were serving three-year bans from international cricket due to their participation in the rebel tour to South Africa.Somewhat more controversial was the omission of available players like Mike Gatting, Trevor Jesty, Graham Dilley and Phil Edmonds; Gatting and Edmonds had played pivotal roles in Middlesex' county championship success, Gatting scoring over 1600 runs at an average of nearly 59, as well as contributing 21 wickets, and Edmonds taking 80 wickets.With three off-spinners selected in the squad (Hemmings, Marks and Miller), his left-arm orthodox spin would have provided much-needed variety.