It's almost hard to believe the 25-year-old right-hander from Taranaki didn't have a ton before Saturday's knock that secured a 48-run victory and sealed CD's slow but sure climb towards a third consecutive crown in the domestic one-day competition.
In fact, Bruce was probably already aware he was in the mix to play in the one-off Twenty20 international against South Africa at Eden Park, Auckland, this Friday but also has to make a statement against the tourists tomorrow for the New Zealand XI side featuring unwanted Ross Taylor and fellow CD cricketer Adam Milne, who is coming off a prolonged injury break.
It was also a timely reminder to Black Caps coach Mike Hesson and his co-selectors that Bruce has the temperament to play limited-overs matches with controlled aggression.
As a matter of fact, Bruce's prowess is proven in all three formats considering he also has scored a maiden first-class century in the Plunket Shield campaign.
On Saturday the Heinrich Malan-coached Stags continued to defy the odds to book a preliminary final with Wellington Firebirds at the Basin Reserve on Wednesday after the top qualifiers succumbed by 27 runs to the Canterbury Kings at Hagley Oval, Lincoln, near Christchurch.
"Obviously it was a crunch game, do or die, so it's quite pleasant to score a century at Pukekura Park, my home ground ... ," he said in an interview with New Zealand Cricket.
It wasn't easy defending a target, he said, at the compact ground but also mindful the Knights were going to come out stronger after CD had beaten them comfortably in round seven of the competition.
"We knew we had to come out and play some good cricket, which we didn't in parts, so it was a really good team effort."
Opener George Worker had again laid the platform with 79 runs from 87 balls, including 10 fours and a six, to show why he is the leading run scorer in one-dayers and the first batsman to eclipse the 500 mark in the format this season.
Leftie Worker became one of three victims of ND leggie Ish Sodhi who sent the wobbles through the CD batting line up to finish with 3-46 from 10 overs, including a maiden.
However, No 8 Kieran Noema-Barnett stopped the rot with 74 runs from 49 balls, including eight boundaries and three sixes.
The former CD skipper, who plies his trade in England these days as a county cricketer, found an ally in No 9 Seth Rance to boost the score to 336-7.
Bruce said the bowlers' spread of wickets showed they were all performing but acknowledged spinner Ajaz Patel's 3-43 from 10 overs, including the prized scalp of Cory Anderson, who scored 79 runs, although Scott Kuggeleijn was unbeaten on 85 from 52 balls at No 6.
However, the left-arm orthodox spinner, who Malan didn't use in the T20 campaign, also helped stifle opener Bharat Popli's (16 from 42 balls) before bowling him.
The Knights were skittled for 288 with nine balls to spare.
Rance claimed 3-47 from 10 overs, including a maiden, while Jesse Ryder rolled his arm for five overs for no wickets in conceding 32 runs.
The Firebirds have had the wood on CD and it'll be another litmus test on Wednesday.
