Country sport: run length around area (5)
I believe the answer is:
rural
'country' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'sport run length around area' is the wordplay.
'sport' becomes 'ru' (rugby union).
'run' becomes 'r' (cricket abbreviation).
'length' becomes 'l'.
'around' is an insertion indicator.
'area' becomes 'a' (maths abbreviation).
'r'+'l'='rl'
'rl' placed around 'a' is 'ral'.
'ru'+'ral'='RURAL'
(Other definitions for rural that I've seen before include "Characteristic of the countryside" , "Not urban" , "Pastoral or agricultural" , "covering the country" , "Bucolic; pastoral" .)