Sussex are urging the ECB to schedule them one-day matches against touring teams in the future after supporters snubbed the game against Sri Lanka.

Only about 500 watched the first day's action at Hove and chief executive Hugh Griffiths says it is unlikely that gate receipts will cover match expenses and staff costs over the four days.

Instead of longer games he wants Sussex to be able to stage more lucrative limited overs fixtures against the tourists, preferably under floodlights.

All 18 first-class counties are asked to state their preference for tourist games before the fixtures are compiled.

Sussex's first choice was a one-day game against Pakistan, who arrive here next month, and their second preference was a one-dayer with the Sri Lankans. What they got was their fourth choice.

Griffiths said: "I'm not criticising the ECB because they have a virtually impossible job of keeping all the counties happy - I don't want to start a slanging match with them.

"But you would have thought from Sri Lanka and Pakistan's point of view it would have been better to get used to English floodlights and the white ball before their one-day series.

"Commercially and from the public's point of view they are much more attractive games for us.

"When we played West Indies in 2004 the ground was nearly full and we sold out corporate hospitality. Commercially a single one-day game is a lot better than four days unless it is against someone like Australia.

"For a lot of our members the tour match is probably below the Championship and all three one-day competitions in their list of priorities and I'm afraid that is reflected in the number of people who come through the gate."

Meanwhile cricket manager Mark Robinson has defended the selection of an understrength team to play Sri Lanka.

Only three of the side which beat Nottinghamshire in last week's Championship game are in action - openers Richard Montgomerie and Carl Hopkinson and all-rounder Luke Wright. Sussex have just one day when they are not either playing or travelling to games between now and June 12 and Robinson says their big names need to rest.