Every Sussex fan who wants to see their team at Lord's will be able to do so.

That was the promise from chief executive Hugh Griffiths today as the club began the countdown to their big day out at headquarters.

Both Sussex and their C&G Trophy final opponents, who will either be Lancashire or Durham, will get 4,500 tickets to sell among their own members.

But that still leaves 21,000 seats available to fill Lord's 30,000 capacity which means plenty of tickets will be on sale from agencies such as the ECB and MCC.

Sussex hope to finalise arrangements for the sale of tickets to their 4,000 members by the end of the week but the game is not until August 26 which gives the club and their supporters plenty of time to prepare for their first Lord's final since 1993.

Griffiths said: "We are expecting 4,500 tickets to sell to our own supporters and there is a possibility of more as well.

"But I'm sure everyone who wants to see the game from Sussex will have the opportunity to do so through channels like the ECB website and MCC themselves."

The C&G final has struggled to sell out in recent years but Sussex would hope to take about 7,500 supporters to Lords's and the chances of a full house would increase if Lancashire, one of the best supported counties in the country with about 9,000 members, were there as well.

Whatever, Sussex can expect to make about £50,000 from gate receipts and ticket sales before the cash from commercial spin-offs such as clothing and merchandise is added on - all of it not budgeted for and vital revenue for a county who made a hefty loss last year.

Each county gets five per cent of the total gate receipts while the winners pick up £43,000. There is £22,000 for the runners-up while Sussex have already banked £3,150 just for winning seven south conference games on route to the final.

Griffiths added: "If we learned one thing from the Championship success in 2003 it was that we didn't make sufficient commercial gain. With the final nine weeks away there is plenty of opportunity to get that right."

Meanwhile, cricket manager Mark Robinson admits Sussex's busy schedule has left him with little time to start savouring the big occasion.

Robinson said: "I've been too busy to think about it to be honest. As soon as the Hampshire game was over I was more concerned with clearing the dressing rooms out because there was a women's game at Hove the following day and then we had to get Rana Naved sorted when he came over for his specialist's appointment.

"But it's a great achievement - and the person I'm really pleased for is Chris Adams.

"He's achieved so much with us but he's coming towards the end now so to be able to take his team to Lord's is fantastic for him. He's a proper leader who deserves to lead us out there for what will a great day."

Robinson has played in a one-day final but the only two players who have experience are Richard Montgomerie, who played in two finals for Northamptonshire, and Adams himself, a loser with Derbyshire, ironically against Lancashire.

"The first thing I told the lads is not to expect it again," added Robinson.

"If you get it once in your career you're lucky - to play at Lord's is an awesome occasion as the players are about to find out."

Sussex's opponents will be decided on Sunday. If Lancashire beat Warwickshire at Edgbaston they will go through but any other outcome could let in Durham providing they defeat Derbyshire at Derby.

If the weather intervenes and the teams finish level on points Lancashire's superior run rate would be enough. Sussex and Lancashire have established something of a rivalry in recent years and the red rose county would be clear favourites to win their fourth one-day final in the last 11 years.

But Robinson admits he would be happier to face the Old Trafford outfit because it would only add to the sense of occasion.

He added: "I just want the biggest team with the biggest support which means Lancashire."

The final means a couple of changes to the county's fixture list. The home game against Essex in the four-county Twenty20 competition will now be at Hove on Tuesday, August 22 with the away leg still scheduled for Chelmsford two nights later.

Sussex's trip to Durham in the NatWest Pro40 League will now be on Monday, August 28.