Possible Clues:

• Poorer batsman sent in early, towards the end of play
• ...almost want match transformed by inferior batsman
• Batsman sent in to play out time near the end of a day's play
• Guard employed from dusk to dawn
• Someone promoted up the ordinary batting order when a wicket falls close to the end of the day's play
• Bad occupation for Sleepy?
• Earlier than expected arrival at the batting crease?
• Title job for Thomas Wazhashk in a 2020 Louise Erdrich novel
• Batsman sent in to play out time late in the day
• The __, quarterly cricket magazine published by Wisden