Sussex members have been told why the lights have gone out on Championship cricket at Hove.

Players were forced off by bad light on Monday with the hosts chasing a win against Northants.

The county have opted not to switch on floodlights for red-ball cricket this season.

That decision, which will be reviewed next winter, came into question dung the Northants game – although heavy rain fell very soon after play was halted anyway, making the debate somewhat academic.

Sussex chairman Jon Filby believes the use of floodlights saved no more than 40 or 50 overs of cricket across last season.

But he said the cost of having them turned on was £150 per hour – and pointed out the lights had to remain on all day once they were in use.

Filby told listeners to the BBC Sussex and Sussex CCC livestream: “For several seasons we have used floodlights while not all counties have done so.

“It is a multi-faceted issue.

“The first thing is that cricket is designed to be played with a red ball in the sunshine.

“Red-ball cricket under floodlights is rubbish.

“The advantage to bowlers is significant and it is not really the way for the game to be played.

“The second factor is the rules for when you can and can’t play with the lights on mean there are only certain conditions when floodlights make a difference.

“We don’t think those conditions prevail very often.”

Sussex could update their current lights to an LED system, which could be turned on and off quickly, but that would cost about £1 million.

Filby is keen for Championship cricket to start at 10.30am in April, as is the case in September, rather than 11am.

He added: “We think this issue is far bigger than just turning on the floodlights and turning them off.”