Stage applause after cricketer finally left field (12)
I believe the answer is:
battleground
'field' is the definition.
('battleground' can be a synonym of 'field')
'stage applause after cricketer finally left' is the wordplay.
'stage' becomes 'leg' ('leg' can be a synonym of 'stage').
'applause' becomes 'round' (round is a kind of applause).
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'cricketer' becomes 'bat' (I've seen this before).
'finally left' becomes 't' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'leg'+'round'='leground'
'bat'+'t'='batt'
'leground' put after 'batt' is 'BATTLEGROUND'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for battleground that I've seen before include "Place of military encounter" , "arena" , "Army hospital near here perhaps" , "Area of conflict" , "scene of conflict" .)