OLIVER Newby is a man on a mission to become a Lancashire first team regular.

The 21-year-old quick bowler has had tastes of County Championship cricket over the past couple of seasons but now he's looking to feast at the top table of English domestic cricket.

And he's certainly shown he has what it takes to succeed.

Last season, the former Read star was able to take advantage of the new cricket loan system and had a spell at eventual county champions Nottinghamshire.

Newby enhanced his already growing reputation in the process and is looking to build on an experience, he values as part of his learning process, this season.

He said: "Winker (Lancashire coach Mike Watkinson) rang me up and said Mick Newell (director of cricket at Notts) wanted me on loan for a couple of games.

"I looked at the county championship standings and Notts were top of Division 1 so I decided to give it a go.

"I read a newspaper article after my first game for them and it asked why I couldn't get a game for Lancashire, who were in the second division, but I could for Nottinghamshire, who were top of the first.

"I thought about that but you have to realise how good the players are at Lancashire. At Notts it's just a bit fortunate for me, that they had a few injuries.

"I think I impressed them. Mick Newell said I did well on my loan so it did wonders for my confidence. And plus when I came back I was raring to go but unfortunately I was injured with what turned out to be a double hernia."

Newby did play one toteSport Sunday league game, but with him carrying the injury he was never able to do himself justice.

He added: "I played for Lancashire against Worcestershire but I was carrying the injury. I still played and just tried to get through it because there was a chance there.

"I knew that if I'd have gone to see the specialist then he wouldn't have let me play. And there was no time to recover after my hernia operation so that was my season over."

But now Newby has put all that behind him and has started the season in a positive fashion.

Two wickets in the rain-effected match against Hampshire was promising, but the returning Sajid Mahmood meant Newby's first team activities were curtailed.

But he was back in action this week playing against Durham University and he's aiming to impress the Old Trafford selectors all over again.

"My ambition is to play first team cricket," he said. "Last season I felt a little bit hard done by. I started the season really well and I didn't get a chance until much later in the season and then I got injured.

"I just have to stay fit and keep knocking on the door and hopefully that opportunity will arise.

"This season has gone really well for me so far. Going to St Kitts for pre-season was really good. We had to cope with the different bowling conditions and we played some good cricket.

"I think I'm good enough to play first team cricket and I think that shows with other counties wanting to take me on loan, which was a big confidence booster for me.

"I've just got to keep myself fit and make sure I'm doing the right things well. It's all about putting the performances in and when opportunities arise and hopefully they will do it's all about taking them."

But no matter how far up the cricketing ladder he goes, Newby insists he'll never forget where he came from.

And the Blackburn-born seamer is hoping to be a role model for the next generation of Lancashire stars.

Newby came up through the junior ranks with Ribblesdale League side Read and still has close contact with his hometown team "I still live in Read and they're still my club," he added. "I go back when I can and I still know all the players.

"You shouldn't lose contact with your old club. That wouldn't be right.

"They've got a good group of youngsters and hopefully they can look at what I've done and take heart. I came up from under-11s into the first team and then got a full-time contract at Lancashire.

"Hopefully they can look at me and say; If he's done it, then I can do it.' "Will Driver's on that level. He just has to keep performing and keep progressing. The problem you sometimes get with youngsters is that they start believing they're good enough when they're not and they start to relax.

"I played with a lot of good players when I was with Lancashire Under-17s and they rested on their laurels and didn't get any better. Every year you have to perform.

"Even if you have the best season of your life, you can always look back and see what you could have done better. That's the only way you improve."

But looking at his own career, Newby is determined to cement a first team place at Old Trafford and repay the faith show in him by the county.

"I set myself targets last year but this year I'm going to go with the flow," he said. "I signed a two-year contract at the start of the season so I've got two years to impress.

"It's a huge confidence booster that I won't be looking over my shoulder worrying about it. Hopefully I can do better and exceed everybody's expectations.

"First and foremost I want to play first team cricket and play as much as I can. It's upsetting when you're not in the team.

"It puts you on a downer but it's all about pulling yourself back up and showing them what you can do."