ACROSS
1 Obliged to get sign showing limits of field (10)
6 Drink cold Guinness (second of 12) (4)
8 Caught between a run by Aussie openers and a run by India`s tail-enders (9)
9 In Test, a signal for security men (5)
11 So I run out Hants opener – but provide vital support (7)
12 CID man gets in drinks for Surrey pair (7)
14 Downhill runners restrict novices' technical accomplishments (6)
16 Create a successor to Compton? (8)
17 Accompanied Dexter after crazy score (8)
20 African nearly gets century for former 18 (6)
23 Team players get two points (7)
24 He bowled Essex opener in Lancs town after setter`s comeback (7)
27 Starts with duck getting three points after end of championship (5)
28 End of road in Trent Bridge for this runner? (9)
29 First of 12 to emerge, little by little (4)
30 Cook made run quota (10)

DOWN
2 It steadies blade for stroke, or a crafty spinner (7)
3 Surprisingly late run, favouring neither side (7)
4 A mother`s produced a Sussex bruiser (5)
5 Jock is first-class backing up at wicket (4)
6 Aussie opener trains haphazardly – but he`s a grafter (7)
7 Minor county location where many stars appeared (7)
10 Nasser`s first to be caught in leg-trap – the point lost could mean margin of victory, of course (6)
13 20`s first to get five-and-a-half centuries – big hitter in two games! (5)
15 It`s easy to get someone to look after kids (6)
18 Captain`s lofted ball keeping Pakistanis initially quiet (7)
19 After initial duck, put together a nice century, in the main (7)
21 To turn game round is MCC`s first reason for travelling (7)
22 Following duck, verified missing singles – and got stuffed! (7)
25 Initially, Mike Atherton coached at university in former colony (5)
26 OO! This won`t be troubling scorer! (4)