New Zealander Brett Hampton emerged as the No 1 pick in the Bermuda Smash Invitational Draft at Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club last night.

The Northern Districts batting all-rounder was selected by Smith’s Sixers who opted to strengthen their batting with the first pick of the night.

Hampton, who also had a brief stint with English county side Hampshire last year, has earned a reputation for his aggressive stroke play and holds a record for scoring 43 runs in a single over alongside Joe Carter in the 2018—19 Ford Trophy.

The 34-year-old has already enjoyed white ball success this year having helped Northern Districts to the Super Smash title in his homeland in January, smashing 55 and claiming three for 37 with his right arm seam to lead his team to a five-wicket victory against Canterbury in the final.

It is this sparkling form that the Sixers will be hoping the Kiwi can deliver as they attempt to bring Hamilton Parish Hurricanes’ two-year reign as champions to a halt in the third instalment of the tournament.

With the second pick, Pembroke Panthers chose batting all-rounder Gerhard Erasmus, who represented Sandys Spartans in the tournament last year.

Erasmus captained Namibia at the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. He was also named Associate Cricketer of the Year by the ICC in 2023 after scoring 956 ODI runs at an average of 56.23 and scoring a century in both ODI and T20I formats.

South African-born New Zealand top order batter Chad Bowes was the third name called at the draft after being chosen by Sandys Spartans.

Bowes captained South Africa in the 2012 Under 19 World Cup, before he found a new home in Canterbury and New Zealand.

After moving to New Zealand, he earned a maiden call-up to the New Zealand squad for the home ODI series against Sri Lanka in 2023.

He scored a run-a-ball 51 in his fourth ODI against Pakistan and was the most expensive pick in the Lanka Premier League after being acquired by Galle Titansthat for $58,000 that same year.

The first Bermudian picked in the draft was Bailey’s Bay all-rounder Rodney Trott, chosen by the Sixers in the second round.

Southampton Rangers all-rounder Allan Douglas Jr was the second local player picked by the Panthers in the third round.

St George’s all-rounder Jonté Smith was the third Bermudian picked in the same round by champions Hurricanes.