Sussex's James Kirtley has been asked to stay on by England as fast bowling cover for the Test party in Sri Lanka.

Kirtley was due to go home on Monday with the rest of the one-day specialists but has been asked to stay at least until James Anderson's ankle sprain has been reassessed.

England's one-day game in Colombo was abandoned today following rain.

Meanwhile, Sussex have delayed any return to Eastbourne for another year.

The county say they will need further assurances about the wicket and facilities at the Saffrons before they consider going back to a ground they last used in 2000.

Ground authorites have been working with Sussex groundsman Derek Traill on an improvement programme for the main square and Sussex did stage two second XI matches there this summer, although umpires reports on the pitches used were not favourable.

Director of cricket Peter Moores said: "We're not confident that everything is right at Eastbourne for us to return at the moment."

Meanwhile, Sussex will open the defence of their Championship with a mouthwatering visit to Surrey.

Lancashire, who finished runners-up last season, will be the first visitors to Hove on April 21.

The county will warm-up for the new season with a four-day fixture at Lord's against MCC on April 9.

The traditional curtain-raiser has been revived and the England selectors will be asked to choose the MCC team although, with the tour to the West Indies not finishing until May, the MCC side is likely to contain mostly fringe international candidates.

Moores added: "We're really happy with the start. Nothing will inspire us more during the winter than the prospect of going into the lion's den at the Oval first-up. It will really whet the appetite."

The West Indies visit Hove on June 19 and there are six floodlit games at the County Ground including Twenty20 Cup matches against Surrey and Hampshire in July.

SUSSEX FIXTURES 2004 - APRIL - 9-12 MCC (Lord's) Fr; 16-19 Surrey (The Oval) CC; 21-24 Lancashire (Hove) CC; 25 Middlesex (away) NCL; 28-1 Worcestershire (Worcester) CC.

MAY - 2 Worcestershire (Worcester) NCL; 5 Durham (Riverside) C&G; 7-10 Northamptonshire (Northampton) CC: 12-14 Loughborough UCCE (Hove) Fr; 16 Yorkshire (Headingley) NCL; 19-22 Warwickshire (Horsham) CC; 23 Leicestershire (Horsham) NCL; 25-28 Northamptonshire (Hove) CC; 29 C&G Trophy 3rd rd; 31 Nottinghamshire (Trent Bridge) NCL.

JUNE - 6 Somerset (Hove) NCL; 9-12 Lancashire (away) CC; 15 or 16 C&G Trophy qtr-finals; 19 West Indies (Hove) Tour; 23-26 Gloucestershire (Arundel) CC; 27 Yorkshire (Arundel) NCL; 30 Durham (Hove) NCL.

JULY - 2 Surrey (Hove) Twenty20; 4 Scotland (Hove) NCL; 7 Middlesex (away) Twenty20; 9 Hampshire (Hove) Twenty20; 11 Leicestershire (Leicester) NCL; 12 Sri Lanka A (Hove) Tour; 13 Kent (away) Twenty20; 15 Essex (Chelmsford) Twenty20; 17 C&G Trophy semi-finals; 18 Derbyshire (Derby) NCL; 19 Twenty20 qtr-finals; 21 Nottinghamshire (Hove) NCL; 23-26 Kent (Hove) CC.

AUGUST - 1 Somerset (Taunton) NCL; 3-6 Kent (Canterbury) CC; 7 Twenty20 Finals; 8 Derbyshire (Hove) NCL; 10-13 Middlesex (away) CC; 15 Scotland (Edinburgh) NCL; 17 Worcestershire (Hove) NCL; 19-22 Worcestershire (Hove) CC; 24-27 Warwickshire (away) CC; 28 C&G Trophy final; 29 Durham (Riverside) NCL.

SEPTEMBER - 2 Middlesex (Hove) NCL; 4-7 Middlesex (Hove) CC; 9-12 Gloucestershire (Bristol) CC; 16-19 Surrey (Hove) CC.