The Cricket ACT season begins on Saturday with teams trying to end Queanbeyan's stranglehold on the titles in all three competitions.

But the opportunity to play night-time games for the first time is creating an extra buzz around the clubs.

There are no matches scheduled to be played under lights for the 2012-13 season. But Cricket ACT chairman Ian McNamee has floated the idea of using the first-grade competition as a test event before international action arrives in the capital.

The Prime Minister's XI match against the West Indies was expected to be the first time the new lights were used at Manuka Oval.

If they are ready ahead of schedule, and if time permits, a first-grade match would be the perfect opportunity to test the lights before the clash on January 29.

The Australian one-day team will then play in Canberra for the first time when it takes on the West Indies in a day-night fixture.

Television broadcasts require the lights to be at a high level.

But Cricket ACT and the NEAFL have the ability to manipulate and lower the strength of the light to run them as efficiently as possible for local matches.

The cost of turning the lights on will limit both local competitions to rare night-time fixtures when the instalment is complete.

Wests captain Ben Oakley hoped the first-grade teams could benefit from the new Manuka Oval lights.

''To play under lights is a great bit of fun and they're going to be great for the game,'' Oakley said.

''I was actually shocked when I came to Canberra that there weren't grounds with lights. I've played day-night games in Wagga and I know how much fun they were.

''All the players are waiting to see if we'll get a game [under lights] once they're up and going … I reckon the novelty factor is a big thing and you can get a lot of people down to watch, which is good for the players and the competitions.''

Cricket ACT is yet to decide how often it will play night-time matches.

It's unlikely any will be played this season unless the government decides to test the lights before the PM's XI contest.

Initial work on installing the lights has started with the mastheads to arrive from Britain next month.

It is hoped construction will be completed by the end of the year.

''We know the potential of what playing under lights can do for the competition,'' Cricket ACT chief executive Mark Vergano said.

''There is potential for finals days to be played under lights or ACT Meteors matches [in the WNCL] to be played in the evening, but we just haven't made those decisions yet.''

Vergano and McNamee will meet with Cricket Australia officials on October 24 to discuss a plan for the next five years for the game in the capital.

It is hoped lights will help Manuka become a venue to host Big Bash fixtures.

Meanwhile, Queanbeyan star Jono Dean is confident the Bluebags can cope with the loss of eight regular first-graders to retain their titles this season.

Queanbeyan won the Twenty20, one-day and two-day competitions last season.

But the premiership-winning squad has been split up with retirements and players moving interstate or to rival clubs.

''It's a bit of a changing of the guard, but guys have taken other opportunities,'' Dean said.

''It's a rebuilding phase but we've done some recruiting and we'll put in a good show to try to hold on [to the trophies].''