Male hero, no maiden (4)
I believe the answer is:
chap
'male' is the definition.
(chap is a kind of male)
'hero no maiden' is the wordplay.
'hero' becomes 'champ' (champion).
'no' indicates named letters should be taken away.
'maiden' becomes 'm' (cricket abbreviation).
'champ' with 'm' removed is 'CHAP'.
(Other definitions for chap that I've seen before include "Sore; cheek; man" , "Raw, cracked patch on skin" , "Man; (of skin) turn sore" , "(Of skin) become sore" , "Bloke, fellow" .)