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ACROSS

1 Was a top bowler on the way

overseas? (6) 3 and 4 Free-kick specialist scoring twice for Scotland against England (5,9) 11 About to have diplomats sent

down to a lower division (10) 14 Cost of transfer deal left in

touch, perhaps (4) 15 Ball game, at first, was under

control (5) 16 Make final moves on the board,

or the pitch (7) 19 Left a doctor with an old

England batsman (4) 21 Son got married to girl in

northern European team (5) 22 Top striker led the way to a

portico, maybe (4) 23 Spoil excellent comeback by

Sharapova, for example (5) 24 Hearing about selection for a

Test match (5) 26 Cardinal, at one time, was a

fresh recruit for the team (6) 28 Spent little time on satellite (4) 29 Left a note when behind

schedule, of course (4) 30 Took a first half from 26 across,

again (4) 32 Agree to join the team, or finish

up with an Italian address (6) 33 Girl had to perform before an

artist (4) 34 Would an old Greek god stay

right away? (5) 35 Gives support to small stiff

corset, for instance (5)

Down

1 Contracts correspond to

players at times (10) 2 Top runner lied about being

annoyed, as it were (5) 4 One lost in Iona was forced to

retreat (9) 5 Leave the Aberdeen area as

beyond help (4) 6 Worker had a ball in a popular

court game (8) 8 About to get fit, at first, like the

man in the middle (3) 9 Charge for most of 14 across (3) 10 Both am, for example, ended up

in an Italian team (3) 12 Combatant once forced to fight

in a Roman arena (9 13 Have to deal with players having little time for medical care (9) 17 Ibrox player, in short, led a lot to

join a top European team (7) 18 Intend, with little hesitation, to

become stingier (6) 20 Delivered a sermon to those

who always complain (7) 25 On the way, upset 33 across (4) 27 Old Testament priest had a

pseudonym for 19 across (4) 31 State of conflict among some

forwards (3)