Wickets, not runs, key for bowlers: Border

Former Australia captain Allan Border says he understands Joe Mennie's surprise Test-squad selection over Jackson Bird, even if he doesn't fully agree with strategy behind it.

Mennie was yesterday chosen in Australia's 12-man squad for the first two Tests of the Commonwealth Bank Test Series against South Africa, pipping Tasmania quick Bird, in part due to his superior ability with the bat, according to selection chair Rod Marsh.

Quick Single: Batting, not bowling, cost Bird: Marsh

While Marsh's comments have attracted criticism on social media, Border – who has previously been an Australia selector – says a bowler's batting prowess is a suitable tie-breaker if the two contenders are evenly matched with the ball.

"If there's no difference in your mind about their wicket-taking potential and one bats better than the other, then yes, you're probably going to err on the batting side of the equation," Border told foxsports.com.au.

"So I sort of understand it."

However, Border stressed a bowler should be selected on their ability in bowling opposition sides out and not how many runs they can chip in with the tail.

"We really shouldn't be thinking along those terms, about how good our bowlers are as batsmen," Border said.

"It should be about who gives us the best chance of taking 20 wickets, not how many runs he might score down the order.

"Does that mean you don't pick Glenn McGrath because he's not going to feature much with the bat?"

Fortunately for McGrath, he was Australia's premier fast bowler during a majority of his record-breaking career, otherwise his Test batting average 7.36 might have seen in him trouble.

Mennie boasts a first-class batting average of 18 in 66 innings with five half-centuries and a best of 79no, and is regularly used as South Australia's nightwatchman, as he was in this week's Sheffield Shield match at the WACA.

Bird, who averages less than nine with the bat at first-class level, has been dismissed only once in six innings in Test cricket – all of which have come at No.11 – while averaging 14.

While Marsh wants to see more runs out of Australia's bottom order, the 68-year-old said the team's accomplished batsmen also have to lift this summer.

"Everyone needs to improve their batting, don't worry about that," Marsh said.

"Because if we're going to beat good sides, we have to get a lot of runs.

"We believe the attack we've chosen is a good enough attack to bowl the opposition out twice, we've just got to get enough runs."

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