Metal bat damaged a protective item (5,3)

I believe the answer is:

table mat

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'a protective item' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I don't see?

'metal bat damaged' is the wordplay.
'damaged' indicates anagramming the letters.
'metal'+'bat'='metalbat'
'metalbat' is an anagram of 'TABLE-MAT'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for table mat that I've seen before include "Metal tab (anag)" , "Protector under plate" , "Protector from hot plates" , "Protector from hot dishes" , "Protective pad placed beneath plates at meals" .)

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

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