"Since I've come in we haven't won in 10 or 12 games. Maybe there's something in that, who knows, but it's not something we're very proud of" said Bruce before they face the Wellington Firebirds at McLean Park, Napier, from today.
Frankly, the Devon Hotel-sponsored CD would do anything to claim a victory to throw the monkey off their backs. A win would almost feel like they will come through as victors.
Bruce has taken seven four-day wickets to date but he believes everyone should stick to their portfolios.
"I'm used obviously as a partnership breaker. It's not like I'm a front-line spinner or anything."
He felt the Napier wicket wasn't suited to his bowling and the opportunity at Saxton Oval, Nelson, last round arose only because spearhead Seth Rance hobbled off with a calf strain as CD took only three seamers against Canterbury Kings.
"Ben [Smith] obviously made a fist of it and I got a go as well," said Bruce, who took the prized wickets of top-order batsmen Peter Fulton and CJ Bowes in his nine overs, including a maiden, for 17 runs in Canterbury's second dig.
"They aren't probably the best wickets in my life but they're getting wickets."
Smith took a milestone maiden scalp in domestic cricket. What went through the opening batsman's mind when Young tossed him the ball?
"Panic. Despair," said the Wanganui representative who last bowled for his provincial side almost two years ago.
"I try. I try hard," said Smith who bowls right-arm fast and trapped Kings wicketkeeper/batsman Cameron Fletcher lbw for 12 runs in the visitors' first innings.
Remarkably the 25-year-old didn't bowl any extras in his seven overs in the two innings, including two maidens, and went for just 20 runs.
So what does he take from that?
"Obviously that it's fine to take the first wicket in the first over of first-class cricket for the first time.
"It came as a bit of surprise to me, really, but when I retire from cricket I can say I took a first-class wicket."
It's something he is happy to put on the backburner now and consider it "a fluke".
The batting has been anaemic at crucial times over the four days with individuals hanging tough.
"It's obviously frustrating. We have performed well in the one-dayers but at the moment we're not able to adapt to the four-day competition.
"It's not for the lack of talent or trying," the Nelson player said. "You know, we've obviously shown we've got class players in winning the one-day championship but it's just not falling for in the four dayers."
Bruce felt they couldn't ask for much more from a training perspective because it was simply a case of putting net sessions into games with some consistency.
"It's a team game and when the top order performs it makes our job [as middle-order batsmen] much easier," he said. "Bowlers are contributing with the bat but, unfortunately, not everyone's a bowler."
He didn't want to take the gloss off Smith but "we'd rather not bowl".
English import Scott Borthwick, comeback kid Fraser Colson and ex-CD player Matt Bacon are unknown quantities for the hosts.
MATCH DETAILS
WHO: Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags v Wellington Firebirds.
WHAT: Rd 6 of the four-day Budget Rental Plunket Shield match.
WHEN: From 10.30am today.
WHERE: McLean Park, Napier
CD STAGS: William Young (c, Taranaki), Tom Bruce (Taranaki), Dane Cleaver (wk, Manawatu), Liam Dudding (HB), Greg Hay (Nelson), Ajaz Patel (HB), Mitch Renwick (Manawatu), Kurt Richards (HB), Bevan Small (Manawatu), Ben Smith (Wanganui), Blair Tickner (HB), George Worker (Manawatu).
Coach: Heinrich Malan.
WELLINGTON FIREBIRDS: Michael Papps (c), Brent Arnel, Matt Bacon, Tom Blundell (wk), Scott Borthwick, Fraser Colson, Dane Hutchinson, Stephen Murdoch, Jeetan Patel, Luke Ronchi, Anurag Verma, Luke Woodcock.
Coach: Bruce Edgar.
