St George’s Cricket Club will host the Travis “Lil Dude” Smith Memorial Fun Day next Saturday at Wellington Oval to mark the tenth anniversary of his death at the age of 26.

The brainchild of his mother, Sandra, the day of activities will involve a cricket seven-a-side tournament between six teams. The winners will play against a team made up of Smith’s family members in the final.

The teams include players from the St George’s and Somerset Cup Match sides of 2002 when Smith made his debut and was voted the most valuable player.

The other teams will be a select team from players who went to school at Drake University where Smith studied, Works and Engineering where he worked, and two teams from Top Square in St George’s where Smith resided.

The day will begin at 10.30am with a junior cricket match between a St George’s junior team and St David’s, for whom Smith’s son, Tavez, plays.

As well there will be fun activities for the children, including rides, a fun castle, face painting and a mechanical bull. Food will be served afterwards at the club.

“We’re grateful to St George’s Cricket Club for allowing us to have it at the club, I can’t thank them enough,” said Smith’s father, Noel “Sub” Smith.

Travis, who also played football for St George’s, burst onto the Cup Match scene in 2002 when he claimed five wickets in each innings at Somerset.

He also captained the St George’s Colts Cup Match team for a couple of years and was the Bermuda captain when the 1997 International Youth Tournament was staged here.

He also travelled abroad with an Bermuda under-12 football team that contained the likes of John Barry Nusum, Ralph Bean Jr, Keemo Smith and Vince Minors.

Smith died in a road accident on North Shore Road on July 6, 2006.

“Ten years have gone by so fast,” said his father, who admitted the recent deaths of cricketer Fiqre Crockwell and footballer Tokia Russell, to a bike accident, brought back sad memories for the family.

“I wouldn’t wish that on anybody,” said Smith, referring to the phone call. “I will never forget that, every time I we hear an ambulance it sends a chill.

“I have a lot of sympathy for both Fiqre Crockwell’s [family], who played cricket for St George’s, and Tokia, who I didn’t know, but I know he’s the grandson of “Townsey” Russell, one of the best footballers Bermuda has ever produced.”

• The inaugural Masters Twenty20 League, which is named after legends like Woodgate’s Simmons, Lloyd James, Leroy “Tubby” Richardson, Randy Butler and Cal “Bummy” Symonds and cricket historian Warrington “Soup” Zuill, will begin tonight at Somerset Cricket Club when Woodgate’s Keepers play Soup’s Sportsmen at 7pm.

Two more matches will follow at Lord’s tomorrow when Lloyd’s Drivers meet Tubby’s Legends at 2pm and Butler’s Spinners play Bummy’s Skippers at 5.30pm.

Action continues next weekend with a match on Friday night at Somerset before two more matches are held next Saturday at Sea Breeze Oval.