Crossword Genius

Cricket team, we hear, securing amateur’s contract? (15)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

nottinghamshire

'cricket team' is the definition.
(Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club)

'we hear securing amateur's contract?' is the wordplay.
'we hear' indicates a 'sounds like' (homophone) clue.
'securing' becomes 'knotting' (securing with knots).
'amateur's' becomes 'ham's' (as in ham radio).
'contract?' becomes 'hire' (contracting is a kind of hiring).
'knotting' is a homophone of 'notting'.
'notting'+'hams'+'hire'='NOTTINGHAMSHIRE'

(Another definition for nottinghamshire that I've seen is " English county".)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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