The 148th edition of the cricket world's bible, in its familiar yellow and brown cover and with all the usual indispensable features, is out.

Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2011, released recently, has named Sachin Tendulkar as 'The Leading Cricketer in the World' for 2010. He is the second Indian and the seventh recipient of the award, the previous six being Shane Warne, Ricky Ponting, Andrew Flintoff, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jacques Kallis and Virender Sehwag (2009 & 2010).

Eoin Morgan, Chris Read, Tamim Iqbal and Jonathan Trott have been named as four Cricketers of the Year. The editor originally chose five Cricketers of the Year, as normal. However, the findings, shortly before this Almanack went to press, of the ICC's independent tribunal made the selection of one of the five unsustainable.

Scyld Berry, in his preface, says The Wisden Test XI reinforces the importance of Test Cricket as the sport's ultimate form, a fight to the finish usually unaffected by time. The players selected are Virender Sehwag (India), Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), V.V.S. Laxman (India), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India, captain & wk), Graeme Swann (England), Dale Steyn (South Africa), Zaheer Khan (India) and James Anderson (England).

As one of Wisden's four Cricketers of the Year, Tamim becomes the first Bangladeshi to secure an honour that dates back to 1889. The other recipients are Eoin Morgan, whose innovative strokeplay added a new dimension to England's one-day cricket; Chris Read, who captained Nottinghamshire to a memorable County Championship triumph and Jonathan Trott, who announced himself as England's most consistent run-scorer in both Tests and ODIs.

For the first time in its history, Wisden gives proper recognition to the photographer's art, with Scott Barbour winning the inaugural Wisden-MCC Photograph of the Year award. Will Vanderspar, from Eton College, is the Young Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year, while Eric Midwinter's synoptic history of the game, The Cricketer's Progress: Meadowland to Mumbai is the winner of the Wisden Book of the Year award.

Former England captain, Nasser Hussain, in his article on England's First Global Trophy, gives full credit to Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower for setting the wheels in motion.

The Chronicle section includes news of former Australian Test batsman Dean Jones having been stripped of his 2007 Father of the Year award by the Father's Day Council of Victoria after he admitted fathering a son with an air hostess. Jones had won the award for his work with the Bone Marrow Council and for being a good father. "From now on, 2007 will simply show as blank - that's our attitude," council president Don Parsons said: "To take off and have a love child, and that he hasn't even seen the child... We are somewhat rocked by it. What sort of fathering is that?"

In a Crime and Punishment section, India's captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Sreesanth, Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Ricky Ponting, Murali Vijay, Virat Kohli, Mitchell Johnson, Scott Styris, Jamie Siddons (Bangladesh coach), Dale Steyn, Brad Haddin, Kemar Roach, Stuart Broad and Sulieman Benn figure for their involvements between 2009-10 and 2010-11 season.

The Obituaries section includes the obituaries of Sir Alec Victor Bedser, Parthasarthi Sharma, Rajan Mehra, Tony MacGibbon and Tirumalai Srinivasan

Cricket Round the World section, since the feature commenced in 1993, have reports on cricket in over one hundred different countries and territories, from Afghanistan to West Africa.

Scyld Berry, as an editor, has done complete justice to this year Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. The facts and figures of cricket, compiled by Philip Bailey are fascinating. The whole presentation is unique. The publishers and compilers are to be thanked for a well produced and handsome volume.

This richly filled edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2011 holds many pleasures to be savoured and maintains the exemplary standards of a publication of high repute. It is an essential purchase for any cricket enthusiast.

This is a lavish production worth every penny for its 1650 pages. Everything about it is right - the layout and the clear font. The text is adorned with some outstanding colour photographs.