Cricket great Michael Slater erased from history as oval named after former Australia star is renamed in the wake of domestic violence charges
- Michael Slater Oval is getting a new name
- The cricket great has been accused of domestic violence
- The Wagga Wagga Council vote was split 4-3
The name of the Michael Slater Oval has been officially changed after Wagga Wagga Council removed the disgraced Australian cricket legend from the honour.
The council has faced calls to change the name of the ground amid the former cricketer’s dramatic fall.
Slater, 54, faces 19 charges alleged to have occurred on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast between December 5, 2023 and April 12 this year.
He has been charged with domestic violence, including unlawful stalking or intimidation, entering a dwelling with intent at night, common assault, assault occasioning bodily harm and suffocation or suffocation.
Slater, who has worked as a TV commentator, has also been charged with breaching bail and 10 counts of breaching a domestic violence order.
Michael Slater has been erased from history following a decision by Wagga Wagga Council
The Michael Slater Oval will be renamed following a vote by the city council
Wagga Wagga Council was divided when asked to vote on a name change, with votes split 4-3 in favor of the change.
Some councilors argued that the former cricketer’s sporting achievements and contribution to the area should be taken into consideration.
Councilor Rod Kendall argued that Slater was suffering from a ‘diagnosed medical mental health problem’, adding that changing the oval’s name was counterproductive.
Fellow councilor Jenny McKinnon, meanwhile, has campaigned to change the name of the oval.
“I have urged the council to urgently change the name of this oval. I’m glad to see that someone (maybe the Council?) has taken a stealth move,” McKinnon said earlier this month after sharing a photo of Slater’s name painted over on a sign next to the oval.
A new name for the oval will go on ‘public display’ within days, the council confirmed.
The former cricket great has been hit with a series of domestic violence charges
Candidates to replace Slater include World Cup winners Kate and Alex Blackwell, Olympic rugby sevens gold medalist Alicia Quirk and ex-Matildas star Sally Shippard.
Slater’s position at the city’s sports hall is not threatened, Mayor Dallas Tout said.
The former batsman remains behind bars after he was refused bail at the Maroochydore Magistrates Court last month.
His case is expected to be heard in the same court on Friday, May 31, with his legal team expected to contest the allegations of physical violence.