It proved a treat for the Queanbeyan men, who faced up against NSW all-rounder Steve O'Keefe, South Australia and Adelaide Strikers wicket-keeper Adam Crosthwaite, Sydney Thunder's Ahillen Beadle, and former NSW and Sydney Thunder batsmen Tim Cruickshank.

Sydney's typically wet early Spring weather had hindered Manly's pre-season preparations for the Sydney grade cricket season, and they made contact with Queanbeyan to arrange two warm-up matches in drier, inland conditions.

They beat Queanbeyan convincingly at Freebody Oval in a 50-over match last Saturday, and did the same in a 20-over game on Sunday.

Queanbeyan Cricket Club president Peter Solway said he never hesitated in allowing Manly to come down.

"They're definitely in the top three cricket sides in the Sydney competition, and we were excited that they wanted to come down and play against us," Solway said.

"They have four national level players, and we have a very young side this season, so it was a great opportunity for our boys to learn a thing or two."

Manly's Tim Cruickshank said he was impressed with the quality of the Freebody Oval pitch, and said it was good for his men to finally get a hit-out outdoors.

"We've had a fair bit of indoor practice, but this was our first practice on turf, and it was great to come down to Queanbeyan," Cruickshank said.

"The facilities look really good, the pitch is good, and it was good to get out of Sydney and get some decent cricket in."

It was Cruickshank's first time playing in Queanbeyan, and he hoped the club could develop their young players to be as good as the big names they have lost this season.

"Cricket goes in ebbs and flows...with the right senior players around those young fellas, they'll be able to have a good season and develop future Jono and Blake Deans' and Mark Higgs'," he said.