Fielder’s protracted period of inactivity (4,4)
I believe the answer is:
long stop
'fielder's' is the definition.
'protracted period of inactivity' is the wordplay.
'protracted' becomes 'long-' (similar in meaning).
'period of inactivity' becomes 'stop' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'long'+'stop'='LONG-STOP'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Another definition for long stop that I've seen is " Sportsman on the field".)
I've seen this clue in The Times.
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