GLOUCESTERSHIRE bowler Jon Lewis is hoping his ambition of bringing county cricket to his home town may have been brought a step closer by plans for a new £20 million football stadium and sports village in Swindon.

Former Swindon Cricket Club seamer Lewis has been a vocal advocate in favour of bringing first-class cricket 'home' and spoke to his own county chairman last year about the prospect of the town hosting a quickfire limited-overs Twenty20 clash.

Former Churchfields School pupil Lewis the leading English wicket-taker in 2003 sees a vast, as yet untapped, market for top-quality cricket in the town.

And he feels recently-unveiled proposals for a sports village alongside a 22,000-capacity all-seater Swindon Town stadium at Shaw Tip could be the catalyst for those dreams to come true.

It is hoped the multi-million pound venture still in the very early stages of planning and consultation will encompass a host of different sports.

Football club officials have already expressed the hope that other town sports teams, such as the cricket club, will get involved in the scheme

And Lewis, who opened Gloucestershire's Frizzell County Championship Division One campaign by taking 2-62 in the home defeat by Kent on Monday, said: "If the facility was there in Swindon, it would definitely be something I would like to see.

"I would love to come back to Swindon and play for Gloucestershire in a match.

"Swindon is a big town, but it doesn't get any exposure to first-class cricket. But there are a lot of people interested in the sport and it would be great for them to see county cricket in their own town.''

Meanwhile, Town fan Lewis is hoping his football favourites can complete their promotion push so he can have bragging rights in the Gloucestershire dressing room.

He added: "I don't get to see them very much, but I followed the results even when I was in Australia in the winter and they have done really well this season.

"As I live in Bristol, I'm surrounded by Bristol City fans in our club, so it would be great if Town could beat them in the play-off final.''

Gloucestershire were opening their three-day game against Loughborough University at Bristol today.