Jon Lewis is returning to where it all started, taking on the newly-minted director of cricket position at Gloucestershire. The role, which spans both the men’s and women’s programmes, comes only a few months after he left the England Women’s set-up.
Straight facts first. Lewis, 48, played the bulk of his first-class career at Bristol, collected 16 England caps with his skilful swing bowling and, once the boots were hung up, spent a decade inside the ECB system. That coaching journey included stints with the Under-19s, the men’s fast-bowling group and, most recently, the senior England Women’s side. His time with the latter ended after the 16-0 Ashes whitewash in Australia last winter.
Asked about the move on the club’s YouTube channel, Lewis was typically plain-spoken. “It feels like I’m coming home,” he said, the West Country accent still intact. “It’s a big job. There’s a lot to do.”
The task list is long. Mark Alleyne, now into his third season as men’s head coach, lifted the T20 Blast at the first attempt but 2024 was a step back. Meanwhile, the county has seen a queue of seamers exit since September: Archie Bailey (Durham), Ajeet Singh Dale (Lancashire), Zaman Akhter (Essex), Josh Shaw (Somerset), plus Dom Goodman and Tom Price (both Sussex). Craig Miles is set to return from Warwickshire and Will Williams arrives from Lancashire, yet the cupboard still feels light.
Lewis did not shy away from the issue. “It’s important that we try to work out how to replace those players, whether it’s from within the squad or also from outside, or from overseas,” he remarked. “We’ve got some real thinking to do in that space to make sure that the club becomes really competitive across all formats next year.”
Production line a priority
One of the new director’s main themes is home-grown talent. “We haven’t had a really strong production line of cricketers coming from Gloucestershire and Bristol,” he noted. “That’s a high priority for us here at the club, to make sure that we put the processes in place that are able to produce Gloucestershire cricketers from Gloucestershire.”
It is a familiar gripe across the shires, but Lewis, with his player-development background, appears well placed to tackle it. Conversations have already started with academy coaches and local clubs; nothing revolutionary, just tighter links and clearer pathways.
Women’s game on the agenda
The county’s women currently sit in Tier Two of the revamped domestic structure. Promotion is not immediately on the cards—resources and results both have to rise—but Lewis set out the ambition in straightforward terms: “That’d be a big goal for us here at the club… I’m hoping that this becomes a place where players become really fond of playing, and they feel like they’re able to grow, to learn, and to get a lot better at playing cricket.”
Lewis will also lean on experience gained in franchise cricket, having spent three seasons with UP Warriorz in the Women’s Premier League. He believes those insights into professionalised women’s setups can translate to Bristol.
Early days, honest assessments
For now, the new director is still unpacking boxes. The search for an experienced bowling coach tops his list, while recruitment meetings stretch deep into the evening. He admits there is no quick fix, but stress on clarity and patience runs through every sentence. As he summed up, “I’m excited to be back at a place that has a really special meaning for me.”
Gloucestershire supporters, used to periodic rebuilds, will reserve judgement until the first ball of April. Yet the return of a club stalwart, armed with hard-won international experience, feels a sensible starting point rather than a headline grab.
