A big-hitting batsman with a fine eye and a clean swing, Tom Bruce made a splash in the 2015-16 Super Smash, when he hit 223 runs at strike rate of 140.25 for Central Districts. That had been his first senior T20 tournament, but only Mahela Jayawardene made more runs for the team.

Bruce favours the traditional hitting zones: he's been known to carve balls over point, and score heavily in the arc between square leg and long-on, but that is not to say his cricket is limited to slogs. There is innovation in his batting as well, as in his best form, he is capable of playing the sweep shot against the quicks.

In 2016, he hit two outstanding Super Smash innings to pique the national selectors' interest. His 74 from 41 balls against Wellington, and 61 not out off 29 balls against Otago helped earn him a call-up to the New Zealand squad for the T20 series against Bangladesh.

Though it is his T20 exploits that have made the biggest impression, Bruce has also made himself an important part of Central Districts' middle order in first-class cricket.