The batsman immediately facing attack (7)
I believe the answer is:
striker
'the batsman' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'immediately facing attack' is the wordplay.
'immediately' becomes 'r' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'facing' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'attack' becomes 'strike' (striking is a kind of attacking).
'r' put after 'strike' is 'STRIKER'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for striker that I've seen before include "Football attacker" , "One not working" , "Batsman; centre-forward" , "Football player" , "One refusing to work - rings the bell" .)