Clarke setting an example for Lankan players: Ranatunga

Colombo: Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga has praised Michael Clarke who has never played in the lucrative IPL tournament arguing the Twenty20 phenomenon is degrading the Test cricket in his homeland as too many put cash before country.
He said Clarke, who has never played in the lucrative IPL tournament and has knocked back turning out in the revamped domestic competition this summer, was setting an example to Sri Lankan players who, he claims, lack commitment to the Test game.
“I’m really impressed with the way Michael Clarke has been captaining,” Ranatunga said. “His passion for cricket, rather than thinking of earning money and focusing on other areas – not only the IPL but all these shorter versions – is admirable. There are lots of cricketers today who will sacrifice their country for money.
“I’m not really sure if [Sri Lanka] are focused enough to play the longer version,” Ranatunga told the Sydney Morning Herald. “I am very disappointed with the commitment of most of the players, in particular I am really worried about a couple of the batsmen and their commitment to the longer version of the game. I think we look much better than Australia on paper, but they are more committed.” Ranatunga went on to describe the non-selection of Ajantha Mendis in Galle as “unbelievable”, although it seems likely Mendis will play in Pallekele.
Ranatunga slammed Sri Lanka’s selectors for the omission of Mendis, whose peculiar finger-flicking style terrorised Australia in the second of two Twenty20 internationals last month and who continued to mystify at times in the one-day series that followed.
Mendis was left out on a spin bowling paradise in Galle but is tipped to be brought in for the second Test, which starts in Kandy tomorrow, at the likely expense of off-spinner Suraj Randiv.