May 2014

Ben Hollioake was well known for his lightning fast bowling and talent with the bat – even when he was only nine years old.

Little wonder that English captain Mike Atherton decided in 1997 to send Hollioake in as a pinch-hitter at No. 3 for his first one-day international match against the might of a top-class Australian attack that included fast bowler Glenn McGrath and legendary leg spinner Shane Warne.

Third ball he drove Glenn McGrath back down the ground for four, and then took 13 from his next over.

Several well-known Australian artists are among a single owner collection of contemporary art being auctioned from 6.30pm Monday May 19 at Leonard Joel 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra.

Of particular interest is an oil painting (the only one of hers in the sale) by 2008 and 2013 Archibald Prize winner Del Kathryn Barton – while the catalogue front cover Approach to Minal Minali by Shaun Gladwell belongs to a series he showed in 2009 in Vencie while representing Australia, along with another of his sale paintings Approach to Road Kill.

Leonard Joel’s Australiana auction from 1.30pm on Thursday May 15 at 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra will have live bidding – both through the Leonard Joel and Invaluable websites – and feature many unusual items bound to intrigue auction goers.

Typical of the offerings is a Macintyre sterling mounted inkwell with a porcelain plaque inset for the 9^th Australian Light Horse regiment.

One of Australia’s most respected fine art consultants and curators John Buckley is selling much of his impressive collection of modern and contemporary Australian art by some of the country’s leading artists.

The auction from 6.30pm on Tuesday at Mossgreen 926-930 High Street, Armadale is a great opportunity for art lovers to pick up quality works collected over many years by a professional art curator, according to Mossgreen managing director Paul Sumner.