Murali joins campaign

SRI Lankan cricket legend Muttiah Muralitharan is scheduled to arrive in Port Moresby today to participate in the Motor Vehicle Insurance Ltd and Pacific MMI “Don’t drink and drive” Twenty20 bash over the next six days.
Murali, as he is known internationally, will head a group of eight other past cricket stars which include Mathew Elliott, Adam Holioke, Steve Rixon, Andy Bichel, Michael DiVenuto, Greg Ritchie, Craig McDermott and Greg Campbell.
Campbell is already in the country while Bichel will arrive today.
The other stars arrive tomorrow while Murali and family will be Cricket PNG’s guest of honour at a function tonight at Lamana Hotel.
During the six-day programme, which begins with World AIDS Day tomorrow, the six playing stars Murali, McDermott, Holioke, DiVenuto, Bichel and Elliott, will join local T20 teams for a series of matches while fitting in clinics and press engagements among other activities.
Cricket PNG CEO Bill Leane, in an earlier release, said the event was another initiative of cricket and sponsors to highlight important issues in the community and to promote its code.
“This year, the timing of the Pacific MMI Motor Vehicles Insurance Ltd ‘Don’t drink and drive’ event allows Cricket PNG to support the ICC ‘Think wise’ campaign which is aimed at HIV/AIDS awareness, and on World AIDS Day, there will be a children’s super clinic held at the Colts and Amini grounds,” Leane said.
“The stars of the event are undoubtedly the cricket legends who come to PNG to help promote the sport and build on the rapidly growing appeal and fan base for cricket.
The line-up this year is unbelievable and no sport in PNG could claim to have this quality of line-up or event,” he said.
A press conference at 11.30am for Murali has been arranged and will take place at Jackson International Airport tomorrow.