CRICKETER Luke De Souza has changed his plea to admit stabbing a man in Devizes town centre.

Desouza, 24, accepted he had armed himself with a knife before he got into an argument with his victim, on February 5.

And he said he used the blade to stab his victim in 'excessive self defence' after he was subject to an assault.

Now he has been warned that he could be facing a jail term for the assault when he is sentenced later this year.

But a judge has also said he will adjust his bail conditions to allow him to get to Potterne to play cricket for them.

De Souza had been due to stand trial after denying a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, unlawful wounding and having a bladed article.

But the case was brought back before a judge at Swindon Crown Court where the defendant, now of Heathcote, Warwick, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding.

Archangelo Power, defending, said the victim was a considerably larger man than his client and had attacked him as they argued.

He said he grabbed De Souza and put his head under his arm and banged it against a wall, then stamped on him when he was on the ground.

While he was down he said hid client used the knife to stab his attacker in the thigh, leaving him needing five sutures, accepting he went too far and used 'excessive force'.

Robert Morgan-Jones, prosecuting, told the court there was no question he was on the wrong end of the physical altercation at one point.

Mr Power asked for the case to be adjourned so a pre-sentence report can be compiled on his client.

He said he is a county cricketer but could not get to his club in Potterne without going through Devizes, which he has been banned from doing since his arrest.

Judge Robert Pawson agreed to change the bail conditions to allow him to enter the town to travel to matches or training and put the case off to a date to be fixed.

He said "You can pass through Devizes and if the lights are red you can stop. You are not to get out of the car in Devizes.

"I am only varying that to assist your cricket playing. I haven't made up my mind what the sentence will be.

"You should not take the fact that I am directing a presentence be prepared as any indication that it won't necessarily be a custodial sentence."

Police and ambulance crews were called to Monday Market Street at about 12.30pm after a 35-year-old man from Devizes was found with a leg wound.

Staff from Sainsbury's called the emergency services after cries were heard outside the store and workers rushed out to help the injured man.

Passers-by and shoppers also went to the man's aid just before and police taped off the area as a South Western Ambulance Service crew arrived.

And the Wiltshire Air Ambulance rapid response car was on the scene moments later.

De Souza has been a leading batsman for Potterne Cricket Club and also played for Wiltshire, making his county debut against Cornwall in April, 2015.

In 2013 he was part of the Potterne team that secured a fairytale promotion into the second tier of the West of England Premier League by taking the Glos/Wilts Division crown.

Last summer he played three times for Wiltshire and in 2015 he was part of the team on eight occasions.