Sussex League chiefs are ready to drag club cricket into the 21st century after their historic light show at the County Ground.

Horsham and Hastings Priory, the two most powerful clubs in the Sussex League, contested a first ever day-night county cup final on the allowed turf at Hove.

Half centuries by Sussex professional Will House and young wicketkeeper/batsman Andy Hodd gave Horsham victory by six wickets but other Sussex clubs may also get the chance to shine beneath the lights in future years.

League chairman Terry Burstow was one of the umpires for Monday's match and wants the final to remain at Hove as part of a closer tie-up between the county and its clubs.

Burstow said: "It was a good experiment and I would like to do it again with some fine tuning.

"We were looking to make the cup a bit more attractive and an event like this makes us feel like Test players and umpires, which we all enjoy.

"Now I would like to see evey team wearing full coloured clothing for the cup but we would need a sponsor to do that."

The colour issue has been a sticking point throughout the summer. Hastings have their own blue outfit and were keen to wear it on Monday but the league have resisted until all teams have a complete set of new kit.

With the teams in traditional whites, an orange ball was used for the final and fielders and spectators alike had trouble picking it up in the night sky.

A noisy Horsham contingent among the crowd of 400 or so provided the other staples of day-night action, namely musical accompaniment and a couple of streakers, while Sussex did their bit by providing a prime central pitch used for the recent day-night clash with Lancashire.

Winning skipper Scott Stratton re-wrote the theory that you should bat in daylight by winning the toss and putting Hastings in though he admitted the visibility issue played a part in his thinking.

He said: "I think we are a better side chasing. My view is if a ball is hard to see you are better focussing on it coming out of a sight screen than trying to find it in the outfield.

"Even towards the end of their innings it was becoming quite hard to pick the ball up."

Hastings were indebted for their total to James Chaplin, whose 73 off 80 balls won him a new bat from sponsors Gray-Nicholls as man-of-the-match.

Chaplin came in at 43-4 and added 106 with Jason Finch (50) before the latter holed out to Chris Nash running in at long-off.

Nash also claimed a direct hit run out to remove Richard Jackson and, with elder brother Mark, sent down 18 overs of spin for just 57 at a key time.

Chaplin's two successive sixes in the last over helped ensure Horsham had a bit to do with the bat but, crucially, they were always ahead of the required rate as light drizzle swept across the ground.

Overseas star Mark Sanders was well picked up at point by Jackson with no runs on the board but Sussex squad member Carl Hopkinson combined with Hodd to put the innings on course.

Then House, who has played plenty of floodlit cricket with the Sharks, fired 52 off 46 balls and Hodd also reached his half ton before Chris Nash and Luke Marshall, two products of Horsham's colts set-up, finished the job.

Hastings, whose county star Mike Yardy was ruled out by a knee injury, still enjoyed the experience and called for it to be repeated.

Skipper Tim Eldridge said: "Perhaps a white ball might have been easier to see and, who knows, we might go all the way and have coloured clothing, but it's a great innovation. Playing under lights gives a different dimension and the league committee are to be applauded for arranging it."