Work in progress

GREATER Manchester bowls team manager Keith Rudman is hoping to make it third time lucky in 2015.

After two seasons in charge, the popular official — himself a talented bowler — feels he is in a position to push on with the county squad.

Manchester was eliminated in the group stages in 2013, but reached the semi-finals this year, only to be beaten by North Midlands. Rudman hopes to take another step forward in 2015, as he explains here to fellow bowler and Chronicle sports writer Keith McHugh.

KM: How did you become the county team manager?

KR: I got involved when the county was in financial trouble. I offered to help, as team manager was a role I’d done before for Central Lancs and Pennines.

KM: Not all of Greater Manchester’s top players turn out for the county. Why do you think that is, and are other counties more committed than ours — reigning county champions Warwick and Worcester, for example?

KR: I think Greater Manchester have some of the best players in the game, Gary Ellis and Andrew Buckley to name but two, but when it comes to the count, Warwick and Worcester seem to have it at their mercy. Without doubt, they make it a priority which I can’t see Greater Manchester doing.

It seems to be a major thing to them, and it reminds me of the Yorkshire side of the 1980s and 90s.

KM: Although numbers entering the county merit are improving, we still fall way short compared to Yorkshire. Do you think the county competitions and county team itself are less of a priority for bowlers in GM and, if so, why?

KR: I think credit must go to Steve Squire of Springbank for the number of entries he gets in the county merit. It is increasing year on year and I hope 2015 is even bigger.

The quality of the field in 2014 was excellent as well, so the big names are supporting it.

The Yorkshire Merit is an institution over the border. The final day is on May Bank Holiday Monday and around 1,000 are there to watch.

We don’t have the infrastructure, number of clubs or maybe the interest (to match Yorkshire), but that should not detract from whoever wins our merit — he will have played well to win it.

KM: How far have Greater Manchester progressed in the County Championship during your two years at the helm and have you been satisfied?

KR: We haven’t won it, so I’m not satisfied. I feel we have the quality to reach the final and compete. We got to the semi-final in 2014 and were disappointed to get beaten. It’s a work in progress, I would say.

KM: What lessons have you learned during that time, in terms of personnel selected and greens employed? And what changes do you think are needed to improve results?

KR: It seems we have had better home results around the Hyde area, which is something we are looking at, but I think the Chadderton League is a hotbed of bowling and I’m sure we can win games at home in this area. The key is for players to practice greens at which they are selected and give themselves every chance.

KM: What is GM’s realistic aim for 2015? Can we really beat W and W, with all their player resources?

KR: Our aim is to reach the final, and if you get there anything can happen. Warwick and Worcester will start the season as worthy favourites, but we have the players to give anyone a game.

KM: W and W also seem to bringing through lots of good young players, Greg Smith being the prime example. What must GM do to improve in that respect?

KR: I think we have talent, but that step from junior to senior level is a big jump. Tom Eccles of Hopwood looks one for the future I would like to see players wanting to play for GM and being enthusiastic about it, making it a priority. This would be a great example to young players coming through.