Run feast not enough for Klinger

Only two men in world cricket have scored more runs than Michael Klinger in the past 12 months.

One is Steve Smith, Australia's new captain and a man widely regarded as one of the best batsmen in the world.

The other is Kumar Sangakkara, one of the greatest players of the modern era whose long and distinguished international career came to an end earlier this year.

Nestled in behind that famous duo is Klinger, a 35-year-old uncapped journeyman whose first-class career began last century and who has vast experience at domestic level in both Australia and England.

The right-hander added another 202 runs this week to a career tally that is approaching the 20,000 mark across all three formats, posting an impressive double century for Western Australia as Test hopefuls Cameron Bancroft, Shaun Marsh and younger brother Mitchell were all unable to make an impact with the bat.

His century was the 14th of a highly-productive 12-month period for WA, Perth Scorchers and Gloucestershire, but it was ultimately not enough to force his way in to Australia's squad for the first two Tests against New Zealand.

Queensland duo Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns were on Friday given the nod to take on the Black Caps, but not after Klinger was discussed at length by Australia's four-man selection panel.

Quick Single: Selectors tread proven path 

In the end, the veteran's overall career first-class average of 38.88 wasn't good enough for him to keep the younger Khawaja (39.98) and Burns (40.93) out of the side.

“Of course we've looked at Michael Klinger," National Selector Rod Marsh said. "He's got to keep making runs.

"Have you looked at Michael Klinger's batting average in first-class cricket? It's not as good as the other boys.

"Part of our selection policy is if you've got two blokes that are absolutely equal, you go for the younger bloke and I think that's very fair.

"If one bloke is noticeably better and is more likely to influence the outcome of a game, then you pick the old bloke.

"But if they're not noticeably better and they're not likely to influence the outcome of a game, then you must always go with your youth.

"That's our policy and whether you agree with it or not, it's irrelevant."

WATCH: Khawaja and Marsh discuss Test squad

Australian selectors have not been afraid in the past to throw a domestic veteran into the international arena in the twilight of their career.

The current panel handed Adam Voges a Test debut at 35 earlier this year – he went on to make a century – while the decision of their predecessors to recall Chris Rogers in 2013 also paid off.

And a previous group of selectors were rewarded handsomely for bringing Mike Hussey into the side at the age of 30, with the left-hander going on to score 19 centuries in a decorated seven-year Test career

Bupa Support Team Head Coach and selector Darren Lehmann was keen to emphasise that players over the age of 35 were still in the running for the Test side.

But if a veteran and a younger player were considered equal in the eyes of selectors, youth would win out.

"(Klinger's) experience is there, he's 35 and we've already got Adam Voges, who is 36, in there," Lehmann told SEN.

"Do we want to go down that path? Age is not too much of an issue but when we're looking at players over a period of time, he averages 38 in first-class cricket and Khawaja averages 40, for example, and he's seven or eight years younger.

"Sometimes you just have to go with a gut feel and it's a tough call sometimes, but we certainly looked at him."

For his part, Klinger believes his double-century for the Warriors came too late to influence the squad for the start of the NZ series, but it doesn't mean his Test ambitions are done with.

"I don't think it's going to happen now, for the Brisbane Test, I think (the selectors) have got a pretty good idea of who they want to pick," Klinger said on Wednesday, less than 24 hours before the selection panel met to decide

"But I certainly still have aspirations and if I can keep making runs, you never know."