Eccentric graduate taking in cricket match in unlikely place? (8)
I believe the answer is:
cambodia
'unlikely place?' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both locations as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'eccentric graduate taking in cricket match' is the wordplay.
'eccentric' becomes 'cam' (an eccentric is a mechanical device such as a cam).
'graduate' becomes 'BA' (someone with a Bachelor of Arts degree).
'taking in' is an insertion indicator.
'cricket match' becomes 'ODI' (short for one day international).
'ba' placed around 'odi' is 'bodia'.
'cam'+'bodia'='CAMBODIA'
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for cambodia that I've seen before include "Kampuchea before 1975" , "Oriental country" , "Country in southeast Asia, home to Khmer people" , "South East Asian country" , "Asian country, capital Phnom Penh" .)