2 down: She fell sick after Juliet (4)
Loved the direct clue: sick after Juliet = ill after J (NATO phonetic alphabet) = Jill = she fell (from the nursery rhyme).
8 across: So attached to food store (8)
Excellent clue hiding: so attached to food store = very attached to deli = delivery = cricket theme.
26 across: He’s covered in facial hairs? (3, 5)
I like it and hate it at the same time, but considering the importance of a good mo in the history of cricket, I had to include it as gold: he’s covered in facial hairs? = he covered in tashes = the ashes = cricket theme.
22 down: Not for worry? Not depressed? (6)
So very deftly worked: not for worry = con vex = convex = not depressed.
5 down: Tedious second zip? (8)
Difficult yet clever, as are most of DA’s succinct clues: second zip = mo + not one = monotone = tedious.
Update: RB pointed out the palindromic brilliance in the following clue that turns what was bullshit into gold:
4 down: Sounds mentally focus lean rider (7)
Palindromic awesomeness: sounds mentally focus lean = sounds psych up list = cyc up list = cyclist = rider.
5D should be “no tone” instead of “not one”? That’s the only way I can get sense out of zip.
Re 5D: VR, I can’t see how “zip” = “no tone” works.
AS’s explanation matches mic’s in the Confusions thread, and I would explain it like this:
“Zip” means nothing, nil, zero.
Think of “not one” as in “not one person remained in the room”.
I must admit I can’t come up with a sentence where “zip” and “not one” are precisely interchangeable, but that may be my shortcoming rather than the clue’s.
I wouldn’t rate this clue as worthy of gold. Yes it’s succinct and clever, but “tedious” = “monotone” doesn’t quite do it for me, even though I know you can use monotone as an adjective (if you’re desperate).
4D: I don’t think the little palindrome was intended – the “up’ is not a reversing signifier but part of “psych up”, to mentally focus (transitive).
2D: Thanks for the alphabet signifier – couldn’t see how that worked.
26A: Not happy. Never seen ‘tache spelled as tash before, but maybe that’s just me.
4D: Me again – ignore the comment above, which doesn’t make sense. I was clearly not mentally focused when I wrote it.