Sussex will not play any matches at Horsham next summer.

The popular festival has been dropped due to financial reasons in 2006 with Sussex opting to continue hosting a festival at Arundel Castle.

Chief executive Zac Toumazi had warned before the fixtures for 2016 were announced this morning that it was likely Sussex would only play at one outground.

It will be the first time since 2005 that Sussex have not staged a game at Cricketfield Road and only the second time in the last 34 years.

Toumazi said: "I’m very disappointed that the festival is not taking place. I sincerely hope that this is a temporary pause in this long tradition. 

"It should be made clear that Sussex is not closing the door on a return to Horsham. There is no reason why, in a more supportive financial climate, the festival at Cricketfield Road cannot take place in the future.

"The Sussex commercial team, along with Horsham Sports Club, will continue their efforts to try to find a sponsor for the future."

Sussex will take on Northamptonshire at Arundel in a Championship match on June 22 followed by a Twenty20 fixture against Gloucestershire.

Luke Wright's men will also play at two other outgrounds next year when they take on Kent in the Championship at Tunbridge Wells in July and Essex at Colchester in August.

Sussex kick off the season with a university match against Leeds/Bradford MCCU at Hove on April 5 followed by their opening Championship match at Northamptonshire on April 10.

Their first home game in division two is against Essex on April 17 while Sussex bring the curtain down on their season at Gloucestershire on September 20.

Sussex remain in the notoriously tough south group in the NatWest T20 Blast along with Somerset, Surrey, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Middlesex and Hampshire.

The Sharks have been paired with Glamorgan, Middlesex, Surrey, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Somerset and Kent in the Royal London One-Day Cup.

The full fixtures list is below:

April

  • Tue 5–Thu 7 UNI Leeds/Bradford MCCU (Hove)
  • Sun 10–Wed 13 CC Northamptonshire (Northampton)
  • Sun 17– Wed 20 CC Essex   (Hove)

May

  • Sun 1–Wed 4  CC Leicestershire  (Hove)
  • Sun 8–Wed 11 CC Derbyshire  (Derby)
  • Sun 15–Wed 18 CC Worcestershire  (New Road)
  • Fri 20   T20 Gloucestershire  (Bristol) FL
  • Sat 28–Tue 31 CC Derbyshire  (Hove)

June

  • Wed 1  T20 Somerset  (Hove) FL
  • Fri 3  T20 Surrey   (Hove) FL
  • Mon 6  50L  Essex    (Hove) FL
  • Wed 8  50L  Glamorgan   (SWALEC Stadium) FL
  • Fri 10  T20  Kent    (Hove) FL
  • Sun 12  50L  Middlesex   (Hove)
  • Tue 14  50L  Surrey    (Guildford)
  • Thu 16  T20  Middlesex   (Lord’s) FL
  • Fri 17  T20  Hampshire   (Ageas Bowl) FL
  • Wed 22–Sat 25 CC  Northamptonshire  (Arundel Castle)
  • Sun 26  T20  Gloucestershire   (Arundel Castle)
  • Thu 30  T20  Kent    (Canterbury) FL

July

  • Fri 1  T20  Middlesex   (Hove) FL
  • Sat 2–Tue 5 CC  Glamorgan   (Hove)
  • Thu 7  T20  Glamorgan   (SWALEC Stadium) FL
  • Fri 8– Sun 10 TOUR  Pakistan   (Hove)
  • Fri 15  T20  Hampshire   (Hove) FL
  • Sun 17– Wed 20  CC  Kent    (Tunbridge Wells)
  • Thu 21  T20  Essex    (Chelmsford) FL
  • Fri 22  T20  Surrey    (Kia Oval) FL
  • Sun 24  50L  Gloucestershire   (Cheltenham)
  • Wed 27  50L  Hampshire   (Hove) FL
  • Thu 28  T20 Glamorgan  (Hove) FL
  • Sat 30  50L Somerset  (Taunton)

August

  • Tue 2  50L Kent   (Hove) FL
  • Thu 4– Sun 7 CC Essex   (Colchester)
  • Mon 8– Thu 11 T20 Quarter-finals  (TBC)
  • Sat 13– Tue 16 CC Gloucestershire  (Hove)
  • Wed 17–Thu 18 50L Quarter-finals  (TBC)
  • Sat 20  T20 Finals day  (Edgbaston) FL
  • Tue 23– Fri 26 CC Glamorgan  (SWALEC Stadium)
  • Sun 28–Mon 29 50L Semi-finals  (TBC)
  • Wed 31–Sat 3 CC Kent   (Hove)

September

  • Tue 6–Fri 9 CC Leicestershire  (Grace Road)
  • Mon 12–Thu 15 CC Worcestershire  (Hove)
  • Sat 17  50L Final   (Lord’s)
  • Tue 20–Fri 23 CC Gloucestershire  (Bristol)

KEY

CC: County Championship
50L: Royal London One-Day Cup
T20: NatWest T20 Blast
UNI: University Match
TOUR: Tourist Match vs. Pakistan