Judge caught first in box (5)
I believe the answer is:
crate
'box' is the definition.
(I know that crate is a type of box)
'judge caught first' is the wordplay.
'judge' becomes 'rate' (rating is a kind of judging).
'caught' becomes 'c' (cricket abbreviation).
'first' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'rate' after 'c' is 'CRATE'.
'in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for crate that I've seen before include "Box for shipping" , "Trace to a large container" , "Old soldiers might be found in this" , "Packing-case made of wooden slats" , "old banger" .)