Permission for a couple of coppers to run cricket ground (8)
I believe the answer is:
approval
'permission' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Official permission ' mean 'approval' so perhaps 'permission' could also mean 'approval')
'a couple of coppers to run cricket ground' is the wordplay.
'couple of' shows that letters should be duplicated.
'coppers' becomes 'p'.
'to run' becomes 'r' (cricket abbreviation).
'cricket ground' becomes 'oval' (I've seen this before).
'p' duplicated is 'pp'.
'a'+'pp'+'r'+'oval'='APPROVAL'
'for' is the link.
(Other definitions for approval that I've seen before include "Commendation - on which to try things out" , "Go-ahead" , "endorsement" , "Acceptance as satisfactory" , "Approbation, favour" .)