The Cricket Writers' Club was founded 50 years ago and this award is made annually by the Cricket Writers' Club of England 'for services to the presentation of cricket to the public'. Peter Smith was a former chairman of this association.
The award itself which is a bound and inscribed copy of the Wisden Almanac of 1997 is generally regarded in cricket circles as one of the most prestigious awards made in the UK for cricket. The inscription on the award reads as follows: 'Presented to the Sri Lankan World Cup squad for a romantic victory in difficult circumstances and for refusing to betray their principles of attacking cricket despite all the competitive pressures'.
The dinner was attended by the senior cricketing administrators of the ECB (English and Walsh Cricket Board) and MCC, leading cricket personalities as well as the British cricket press including those of national daily newspapers as well as cricket magazines and journals.