Mennie happy returns in Perth for Joe

Joe Mennie has spent most of his adult life away from his roots on the NSW mid-north coast, so it's perhaps no surprise that Australia's newest Test squad member has found a home away from home at the WACA Ground in Perth.

Quick Single: Mennie bolts into Test squad

The country's westernmost capital city will play host to the first Commonwealth Bank Test against South Africa next week, and the uncapped Mennie is hoping his strong record at Australia's traditional pace haven can vault him into the starting XI to take on the Proteas.

The right-armer averages 23 at the WACA from six Sheffield Shield matches for South Australia, with 29 wickets including his career-best of 7-96.

Just as impressive is his career economy rate at the ground of three runs per over, underlining an ability to build pressure on opposing batsmen that has so impressed Rod Marsh and the National Selection Panel.

"I've had some good fortune over here in Perth," Mennie said today after his shock inclusion in Australia's 12-man squad for the first Test, starting on Thursday.

"The games I've played over here, I've taken a few wickets.

"(It) can be a great place for bowlers, but it can also be a horrible place. It's a quick outfield and the ball comes onto the bat really well.

"(But) if you get it in the right areas, it's a great place to bowl."

Mennie has taken the long road to Australia's Test squad, a journey that's taken him from Coffs Harbour on the NSW coast to Adelaide via Sydney.

Having earned a rookie contract with the Blues in 2010-11 after some strong performances in Sydney grade cricket, Mennie wasn't offered a new deal the following season, the likes of Brett Lee, Doug Bollinger, Stuart Clark and youngsters Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood forming an impenetrable barrier between him and a senior debut.

So like countless others before him, he left NSW to pursue his career elsewhere and, having received offers from both Tasmania and the Redbacks, he chose to head west.

Quick Single: Mennie's batting gave him the edge

It's proven to be an inspired decision, one that culminated in a breakthrough 2015-16 season that saw him top the Sheffield Shield with 51 wickets, which earned him Australia A and then one-day international selection.

The A matches in the winter, ironically against South Africa A, also saw him break a bizarre drought that had seen him go three-and-a-half years without taking a five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, despite being one of the Shield's most consistent performers.

The 27-year-old's return of 5-38 in the opening A match in Brisbane in late July ended a streak of 1,284 days since he'd last taken five wickets in an innings, a drought dating back to Australia Day 2013. And such is the nature of the game, and its often unhealthy obsession with milestones, he only had to wait less than a week to get another one, claiming 5-68 in the second match in Townsville.

"I'm not sure of the exact number of days but it'd been a while," Mennie said at the time.

"I wasn't fortunate enough to get one last year. I managed to get a lot of three and four-fors."

It's this consistency, rather than explosiveness, that took Mennie beyond the 50-wicket mark last Shield season and has him vying with Peter Siddle for the right to partner Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood at the WACA next week.

"He's a very good length bowler, Joe," said head selector Rod Marsh. "That's something that in Test cricket is of paramount importance.

"He bowls well everywhere, because he bowls a length. He is a real dead-set professional length bowler. That's what I love about him.

"I think you'll find he's surprisingly quick. If you talk to the batsmen around the country, he hits the bat pretty hard.

"I just get back to that word 'length'. No one likes bowlers who bowl a good length."

While 61-Test veteran Siddle seemingly has the inside running for a spot in the XI if his comeback from injury continues at a good pace, Mennie says he's ready to grasp his opportunity if given the chance.

"If there's ever going to be a time, it'd be now," he said.

"I'm in some good form, I know my game and I know what works for me." 

Australia squad for the first two Commonwealth Bank Test matches: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Joe Mennie, Peter Nevill, Peter Siddle, Mitch Starc, Adam Voges

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