Possible Clues:

• Play thus for safety - make a late appearance
• Nocturnal arboreal marsupial
• Nocturnal marsupial
• What a beastly way to play for the dead
• American marsupial, commonly
• It's beastly to play this when it's up with the moss
• American marsupial (that plays dead?)
• Aussie native sees Ashes rival clasping vessel, foremost of urns
• Marsupial - play it to feign sleep
• Seems work's a beastly matter of figures