Crossword Genius

He doesn't work the hitter (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

striker

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'hitter' is the definition.
(I know that hitter can be written as striker)

'he doesn't work the' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'he' could be 'rik' and 'rik' is located in the answer.
'the' could be 't' (the is pronounced as a 't' sound in some dialects) and 't' is found in the answer.
The remaining letters 'ser' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for striker that I've seen before include "One walking a picket-line" , "Cricketer facing the bowlers" , "Batsman; centre-forward" , "one who's out?" , "Worker engaged in official anti-employer action" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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