The Stags are languishing at the bottom of both the competition tables and whatever T20 playoff aspirations they had are now saturated in persistent rain dogging cricket around most parts of the country.
But Bracewell said the playing conditions at their favoured, compact Pukekura Park wasn't "too bad".
"We just have to take a look at ourselves as individuals and then put together performances that will put the team up there for a win."
Having won the toss, CD captain Kieran Noema-Barnett had the visitors padding up to post 88-3 in six overs with former CD import Graham Napier unbeaten on 28 from 11 balls while Grant Elliott was 32 not out having faced 10 deliveries.
Bracewell stifled the Firebirds openers at one end, bowling James Franklin for six runs, but Bevan Small took some stick at the other.
He took 1-8 from his over but Mr Reliable Marty Kain continued his dream run this summer in the T20 season with a miserly 2-6 from his tweakers.
Kain took a palm-tingling caught-and-bowled wicket of Michael Papps who had earlier lofted Small for a huge six.
"Marty's playing good cricket and loving it," Bracewell said of the 25-year-old spinner from Nelson.
"He has continuity in his performance and he's getting better."
Veteran Jacob Oram, who CD hired before Christmas after a stint in Bangladesh, went for 32 off his two overs while new English import signing Josh Cobb went for 26 off his one over.
"Cobby got his first over [of the T20 season] in the sixth over so it was a difficult ask," he said of the Leicestershire county cricketer who only arrived three weeks ago primarily to help with batting in the top order but is capable of bowling right-arm offspin.
In reply, CD again stuttered in the top order to finish with 4-59.
Opener Jamie How and No 3 Cobb registered first-ball ducks but Somerset import Peter Trego provided the platform as opener with 20 runs from 13 balls. No 4 Carl Cachopa again showed why he's a batsman with 22 from 11 balls to remain unbeaten with Bracewell on nine runs from seven balls.
"In two overs we got pumped early ... and they capitalised on some pretty average bowling from us so we were under the pump right from the start."
The Taradale Cricket Club premier allrounder hastened to add it was a six-over "hit-and-miss" affair.
"We now have to search for that 'W' [win] and also try to get back on track into the four-day campaign."
Out with a groin injury just before the third test match against the West Indies in Hamilton last month, in a series the Black Caps won 2-0, Bracewell said he wasn't wanting to get too far ahead in trying to secure his berth in the Mike Hesson-coached squad again.
"My aim primarily was to get over the niggly injuries. If I'm playing for CD then other things will take care of themselves.
"I'm trying to come back bigger and stronger," he said, adding he withdrew from the previous T20 match against the Auckland Aces on Monday because he was only "90 per cent" there with his groin strain.
Napier, 33, who returned home two summers ago after injuring his elbow in the opening round of the T20 match against Otago Volts in Dunedin in December 2011, also bowled two overs but was wicket-less in conceding 23 runs from two overs although fielders dropped catches twice off his deliveries.
CD now host table-topping Volts on Sunday as they seek the rub of the Puke Magic for the third time in a row.
