Cricket side cheers up over smooth style of playing (6)
I believe the answer is:
legato
'smooth style of playing' is the definition.
'legato' can be an answer for 'smooth' (musical term). I'm not certain of the 'style of playing' bit.
'cricket side cheers up over' is the wordplay.
'cricket side' becomes 'leg' (I've seen this before).
'cheers' becomes 'ta' (both can informally mean thank you).
'up' says the letters should be written in reverse (in down clue: letters go upwards).
'over' becomes 'o' (cricket abbreviation).
'ta' backwards is 'at'.
'leg'+'at'+'o'='LEGATO'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for legato that I've seen before include "In music, the opposite of staccato" , "Smoothly flowing in style" , "with smooth execution" , "Smooth, flowing (mus.)" , "Smoothly-flowing" .)