Economist who wrote a report the night before cracking game (9)
I believe the answer is:
beveridge
'economist' is the definition.
(I know that Beveridge is a economist)
'night before cracking game' is the wordplay.
'night before' becomes 'eve' (eve can mean the night before something).
'cracking' is an insertion indicator (inserted letters go into a gap or crack).
'game' becomes 'bridge' (card game).
'eve' put into 'bridge' is 'BEVERIDGE'.
'who wrote a report the' acts as a link.
This may not be correct. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for beveridge that I've seen before include "Welfare reformer" , "reporter in 1942" , "Man anxious for our welfare" , "Man who made report" .)