JON LEWIS has a burning ambition to play cricket for the full England side.

The Gloucestershire seam bowler came close to making his debut at the end of last month in South Africa.

Lewis, 29, who learnt his cricket at the County Ground through the ranks of Swindon Cricket Club, received a late call-up to provide cover for fast bowlers Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison and Simon Jones during the fourth Test in Johannesburg.

He was named in the 13 for the fifth and final Test but did not make the final 11 despite the damp conditions and atmosphere that would have suited his type of bowling.

Lewis is determined to claim a regular place in the England Test set-up and has the ideal opportunity over the next five weeks to put himself well and truly in the shop window.

He is in the 14-player England A squad that departed on Wednesday for Dubai and the warmer climate of the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka.

Under the captaincy of Warwickshire and England international Ian Bell, the side will play four day-night matches in Sharjah against the United Arab Emirates.

Then they move onto the Sri Lankan capital Colombo.

The team are scheduled to play two four-day matches against Sri Lanka A before competing in a one-day triangular tournament with their hosts and Pakistan A.

"I have never been to that area before," said Lewis. "It will be an eye-opener but I am really looking forward to it.

"I have been training and keeping fit ready for the tour at the Academy at Loughborough since October.

"I was lucky to get the call-up to South Africa. It came as a surprise, even though I was on stand-by, as the series was practically over.

"It was disappointing, I suppose, not to play but hopefully my time will come."

Lewis has just recently signed a new three-year deal with Gloucestershire despite interest from several other counties.

He has been a major force for the county in recent years and been the leading English wicket taker in the county championship.

Now he wants to build on his county success and England call-up to South Africa.

"I have been a pretty consistent wicket-taker over the last couple of seasons and feel I am reaching my peak. Now I want to step up another level.

"The A tour gives me an ideal chance to prove myself and push for a spot in the full England side for this summer or the winter tour.

"It will be a tough tour as the wickets are far more spinner-friendly. It will be hard for the quicker bowlers but I have been working on a few things.

"When we return at the end of March the new season in England begins a fortnight later.

"If I do well on the A tour, and take some wickets early in the season, hopefully I can be in the frame for the Test matches against Bangladesh in May."

England A: Ian Bell (Warks, capt); Rikki Clarke (Surrey); Richard Dawson (Yorks); Paul Franks (Notts); Alex Gidman (Glos); David Harrison (Glam); Jon Lewis (Glos); Sajid Mahmood (Lancs); Michael Powell (Glam); Matthew Prior (Sussex); Owais Shah (Middx); Vikram Solanki (Worcs); Graeme Swann (Notts); Alastair Cook (Essex),