Essex want to take Twenty20 to the Olympic Stadium to build on the success they have had in turning Chelmsford into one of the most popular short-form venues.

‘The Olympic Stadium offers us with a tremendous opportunity to take top cricket into East London,’ said Essex chairman John Faragher, a big believer in a two-divisional English Premier League of Twenty20 cricket.

‘We’ve got a very good relationship with Newham Council and we’ve had lots of positive discussions.

Essex are hoping to bring Twenty20 cricket to the Olympic Stadium in what is an innovate move by the county

It means that Essex - and star batsman Ravi Bopara - could play some T20 games away from Chelmsford

‘There are a lot of things we need to sort out but it’s a very strong possibility we will play there. The potential is enormous.’

Essex hope to stage a Twenty20 game at West Ham’s new home next summer with a view to holding one or two NatWest Blast matches at the iconic venue in front of 25,000-30,000 people in 2018.

‘We will obviously have to work around the football season but West Ham are very up for this and I’m excited at the prospect,' Faragher added.

'Our groundsman has been down there and we would bring in drop-in pitches to make this work. If you approach something with the right mindset you can make it happen.’

The Olympic Stadium will be host to West Ham United next season but Essex say they are keen to work with the Premier League side moving forwards

Chelmsford, with its 6,000 capacity, has become one of the most atmospheric Twenty20 venues and Faragher believes the success Essex have had is another example of why city-based cricket should not be entertained.

‘Everybody is on about the franchise system, but that’s not what we need,’ insisted Faragher. ‘We need a strong county system and it’s so important we get it right next time.