Australia - Story of Cricket Country is more than a comprehensive history of cricket. This ground-breaking volume is a colourful, insightful and affectionate portrait of Australian Cricket. A selection of Australia's best writers share their thoughts on different aspects of the game and its place in Australia's culture - from bowling, captaincy and scoring to alcohol, media and literature.

121 Australian players, representing every decade from the 1940s to today, chose their five greatest players from any era and in no order. to wear the baggy green for the book Australia - Story of Cricket Country. The five distinguished players to have received more votes are - Sir Donald Bradman (116), Shane Warne (109), Dennis Lillee (73), Adam Gilchrist (54.5) and Keith Miller (47). Christian Ryan remarked: "How they judged 'Greatest' was up to them. Ability, character, personality, leadership and a player's effect on the public were, we suggested, sound criteria. Voters were also told: 'You may pick personal heroes of yours.' "

The book has been divided into five main headings - Dreaming, Playing, Shining, Watching and Living. Besides, a comprehensive index and the statistics pertaining to Tests and Sheffield Shield round off the book.

The feature of the book is its outstanding collection of photographs and pictures, taking it to another level of excellence.

Profiling Dennis Lillee, Mike Brearley, former England Test captain, considers him the best bowler he played against. "He was the perfect fast bowler: quick, hostile and accurate. He naturally swung the ball away, which is so much more lethal when done at his kind of pace. And he had a magnificent physique. As with Allan Donald more recently, he was so well proportioned that when you came up close he seemed taller than you imagined, taller than he actually was. His run-up and action were immaculate, left-arm high and bent at elbow and wrist, menacing acceleration (with occasional speed wobble) and a full follow-through. He would always prefer to attack than defend."

Christian Ryan's book has deservingly got the Book of the Year Award 2012 by The Cricket Society, England.

This is a book for those who have a passion for the game. The book is thoughtful, well organised and presented with all the professional attention to the fascinating minutiae that we have come to expect from Christian Ryan.