Sussex have expressed their opposition to the introduction of a new city-based Twenty20 competition.

Chairman Jim May voted against the ECB’s proposal for an eight-team competition similar to the Big Bash in Australia which is likely to run alongside the NatWest T20 Blast from 2018.

The Test match grounds are almost certain to be used to host the matches while Sussex are likely to lose star men like Luke Wright and Chris Jordan for a large chunk of the summer so they can play in the new tournament.

Sussex were one of only three counties to vote against the proposals which will be further discussed to agree the structure and impact on the domestic game in October.

May said: “Sussex’s preference is to have a competition where all the counties are involved. That is our stated position but we accept the collective decision of the first class counties and will play a constructive part in trying to make it work.

“I understand there is a lot of emotion among cricket fans regarding this issue. Our job is to promote cricket in Sussex but we also recognise we have a duty to promote the game on a wider level and that is what this plan hopes to achieve.

“There is still a heck of a lot of detail to work out on this and we will be pushing to make sure there are safeguards built into it. We are concerned about being marginalised so any new teams should not have the brand of the existing counties.”

Sussex’s final Championship game of the season at Gloucestershire next week could be played using a pink ball for the first time.

Defeat to Worcestershire yesterday means Sussex are unable to finish as runners-up in division two which has raised the likelihood of the match at Bristol could be used as an experiment for day-night cricket.