Australian writer Anna Krien wins top UK sports book prize

An investigation of the rape trial of an Australian sportsman has landed the British William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award.

Night Games by Anna Krien has been described as a "balanced yet fearless" look into the dark recesses of sporting culture.

The Australian writer collects a STG26,000 ($A47,458) cheque for her triumph which saw her beat a memoir by former rugby star Gareth Thomas and biographies of Bobby Moore and John Curry.

She is only the second female winner in the prize's 26-year history.

Her book looks at misogyny and sexual violence as it examines the trial of an Australian rules footballer more than a decade ago, and what Krien has called the "grey area" of sexual consent.

Book judges called it a "painstaking, intelligent, but above all, open-minded examination of an immensely complicated area".

"Night Games is not about English football, but its relevance to the game is all too clear in the context of the conviction for rape of Ched Evans," award judge Alyson Rudd said.

"Anna Krien seeks to understand why some sportsmen treat sex as a warped kind of sport in itself and women with little or no respect. Hopefully, if such men read her book they would be horrified at the repercussions of such behaviour."

The winning book - fully titled Night Games: Sex, Power And A Journey Into The Dark Heart of Sport - was announced by broadcaster and judge John Inverdale at a ceremony staged at Bafta in central London.

"Despite the challenging nature of its subject matter, Anna Krien's book is balanced yet fearless, and as compelling and involving as any previous winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year," the award's co-founder, Graham Sharpe of William Hill, said.