Watson falters as Mr Cricket gives 66 good reasons he should stay

BATTING conditions were outstanding, the bowling attack was average, but that only transpired against Michael Hussey. He defied the huge margin for failure by scoring 66 and looked very much the player fans have become used to and opposition players have grown tired of. If the 34-year-old were under pressure from selectors looking to eventually move Shane Watson down the order, Hussey's 17th Test half-century yesterday put a dismissive gavel to the notion. As for talk selectors had asked him to open the batting in a swap with Watson, he said: "No, no truth."

Down-to-earth bloke with his eyes on Down Under

America's likely new ambassador aims to enrich our ties, writes Anne Davies.

Home Is Where The Art Is, Until Gavel Falls

Maybe it is the nosy parker in all of us but there is surely nothing more absorbing than a genuine house contents sale, where you can browse through other people's stuff and admire (or disparage) their collections in place, in their home.

Expat Tales

Jane Gavel is making a difference in Peru.

Sale Puts Pillar Case To Bed

HORSE auctioneer Peter Heagney has banged down his trusty gavel many thousands of times over 35 years to help sell thoroughbreds, but yesterday it came down just once. Nonetheless, it was a history-making moment in horse racing.

Critics' Choice

Sunday July 8 Have gavel, will travel The Circuit 9.30pm, SBS Rating: 4/5 Support Your Local Gunfighter 11am, Channel Seven Rating: 4/5 Monday July 9 Surf Patrol 8pm, Channel Seven Rating: 3/5 The Secret Garden noon, Channel Nine Rating: 4/5 Mom.common Wife Swap 10.35pm, Channel Nine Rating: 3/5 Tuesday July 10 Light fingers and plot CSI: New York: Some Buried Bones 8.30pm, Channel Nine Rating: 3.5/5 It Takes Two 7.30pm, Channel Seven Rating: 3.5/5 The Prince And The Pauper noon, Channel Nine ...

A Good Time Is On The Cards

BARBARA Layt raised her hand, and the Dash For Cash filly was knocked down to the Queanbeyan grandmother for $18,000. Neville Layt, a jockey-cum-trainer of 47 years' standing, was alongside his wife at the William Inglis sale ring at Kensington when the auctioneer's gavel slammed down.

73 Years On, Mcinerneys Depart From Law Services

THE gavel is about to come down on the McInerney family's 73-year link with the Wollongong legal profession.

Thief Hammered After Court Heist

A MAGISTRATE'S gavel was stolen from Wallsend Courthouse when a man broke in on Australia Day, Newcastle Local Court was told yesterday.

Portelli Punts On Youngster And Goes For Doctor In Cup

Gary Portelli snared a Redoute's Choice colt with a defect and the last Danehill to go under the gavel. The trainer gambled big-time at this week's William Inglis & Son Easter Yearling Sales but is in no doubt the odds are in his favour.

Market Ends On High Note After A Year Of Big Changes

As the last gavel fell before Christmas, agents reflected on a close escape from what, earlier in the year, looked like being a particularly dismal 12 months. Fears has been focused on changes to the auction system, the property boom ending and expected interest rate rises all threatening to blow Melbourne's real estate market to pieces.

Tim's New Home Team Is Playing Game Of Its Life

CHILD-REARING is an amazing journey but when Tim Gavel and wife Jenny Andrew resolved to become parents, their decision took them to places they had never imagined.

Stalwart Les Kitchen's Last Sale

AFTER 45 years, industry stalwart Les Kitchen has finally decided to hang up his gavel and Monday's Oscar Prouse Special Auction from 6pm at 408 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, will be his last.

Novice Auctioneer Terry Has The Gift Of The Gavel

HE'S only a beginner in the bidding game, but Terry Dawson already has a golden gavel.

Death Wish Come True

The smiling assassin, Amrozi, was true to form last night, punching the air with delight and grinning after an Indonesian court sentenced him to death. With thumbs raised triumphantly to a jeering crowd, the 41-year-old village mechanic reacted with approval when the chief judge, I Made Karna, banged his gavel three times to end the marathon judgement.

Gavel Rush

The point The stakes are high and so are the emotions when real estate is up for grabs.

Estrada Sent To Trial

Impeachment charges against Philippine President Joseph Estrada were sent by the House of Representatives to the Senate yesterday for a trial to decide whether he should be removed on corruption charges. House Speaker Manuel Villar proclaimed with a bang of his gavel that the articles of impeachment

Net Yet To Catch Home Hunters

Conventional means of buying a property at auction may soon be knocked aside by the cyber gavel. But Cindy Martin asks if we are taking to the techno auction far too quickly. THE INTERNET may have revolutionised the way we do business, but buying a property in cyberspace could be classified as a

Auction Stations!

IN his time wielding the gavel, auctioneer Pat Slattery has sold off some unusual items - an RAAF Winjeel training aircraft and a massive Navy floating 'slave dock' among them. Now in business for himself as Slattery Auctions Australia, Mr Slattery is gearing up to put two Australian Navy m

City Mayors Go In To Bat For Good Cause In Pitched Battle

THEY know how to go with the gavel but do they know how to wield the willow? Cessnock and Maitland ratepayers will soon find out when their mayors take to the crease tomorrow for a charity cricket match at Carmichael Park, Bellbird. Maitland's Peter Blackmore and Cessnock's John Clarence wil