Cryptic crossword clue
Cricketer, one in important match being most eccentric 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word BATTIEST

I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
B
A
T
T
I
E
S
T

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "most eccentric" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case most eccentric = battiest.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does BATTIEST mean?

BATTIEST adjective
  1. Mad, crazy, silly.
  2. Belonging to, or resembling, a bat (mammal).

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