Former Australian Test opener Michael Slater is facing the complete dismantling of his cricketing legacy following disturbing domestic violence convictions.
Cricket NSW has confirmed it is reviewing Slater’s inclusion in the Hall of Fame and his Life Member status after he pleaded guilty to a string of serious offences.
The 55-year-old was sentenced to four years in prison by Judge Glen Cash in Maroochydore District Court, although the term was fully suspended due to time already served in custody.
Slater had spent over a year in jail after being refused bail in 2024.
The charges against him included two counts of choking, stalking, assault, burglary, and unlawful striking, all linked to a woman in the Noosa region between December 2023 and March 2024.
In court, horrifying details of a months-long campaign of abuse emerged.
Former Aussie Test cricket star Michael Slater’s Hall of Fame status with Cricket NSW is now under formal review
Slater’s cricketing legacy faces erasure as institutions respond to his violent and abusive behaviour
Local council in Wagga Wagga, Slater’s home town, are considering re-naming the oval named after him
On December 10, 2023, after a night of drinking, Slater accused the woman of infidelity before seizing her phone, kicking her, and unleashing a stream of slurs.
He then wrapped his hands around her neck, shaking her violently, and struck her face, causing visible injuries.
Just over two weeks later, on Boxing Day, he again attacked her – this time slamming her into a washing machine and choking her until she cried out that she couldn’t breathe.
Judge Cash told the former Test star, ‘It’s obvious, Mr Slater, that you are an alcoholic… Your rehabilitation will not be easy.’
Court documents revealed Slater also sent hundreds of abusive messages, threatened suicide, and shared non-consensual intimate images.
In one message, he wrote, ‘You f***ing killed me.’ In another, he threatened, ‘I’ll hang [my] skull at the front of [my] house.’
On March 13, the woman’s security camera captured Slater smashing a window and entering her home while yelling profanities and pouring himself a drink.
Alarmed neighbours called police, and Slater was arrested at the scene.
Michael Slater’s legacy continues to unravel following his high-profile fall from sporting grace
Community members express mixed emotions as Slater’s past achievements clash with recent criminal convictions
He was also fined $900 and disqualified from driving after pleading guilty to separate charges of drink driving and having cannabis in his system.
While the court acknowledged his struggle with mental illness, prosecutors argued for a five-year sentence with parole after three years.
His lawyer, Greg McGuire, urged the court to consider time served, saying Slater wished to return to New South Wales and had been alcohol-free for a year.
Slater’s fall from grace has shocked many, including his hometown of Wagga Wagga.
The Wagga Wagga City Council voted 4–3 in favour of renaming the Michael Slater Oval, though the final decision has been delayed for nine months.
Disgruntled locals vandalised the sign last year and later covered it with a sticker reading ‘End Domestic Violence.’
The council removed the sticker promptly during International Women’s Week, drawing criticism from the community.
Wagga councillor Jenny McKinnon acknowledged public sympathy for Slater’s mental health struggles but stressed the seriousness of the convictions.
‘People are sympathetic about the mental health issues he’s had,’ she said. ‘At the same time, the convictions he has are for very serious matters.’
Meanwhile, Estella Public School in Wagga Wagga is considering renaming its ‘Slater House’ after feedback from concerned parents.
The house name was chosen in 2021 before Slater’s criminal charges became public.
A local reporter and parent, Chris Roe, said the backlash was swift and strong.
‘It kicked off quite a furore,’ Roe said. ‘Maybe it’s time we change the name… Who would it hurt to do that anyway?’
Slater played 74 Tests and 42 ODIs for Australia from 1993 to 2001, scoring over 5000 Test runs and 14 centuries.
He retired in 2004 and became a high-profile cricket commentator, working for Channel 9, Channel 7, Fox Sports, and Star Sports.
