Michael Slater’s monument on the oval named in his honour has been wiped from historical past.
The previous cricketer’s sporting floor in Wagga Wagga has been seen along with his title erased.
The act of vandalism comes in the course of an ongoing dispute surrounding the 54-year-old’s stature in the area people and in Australian sport.
As soon as one of the celebrated names in Australian Take a look at cricket all through the Nineties, Slater’s public and spectacular fall from grace continued final month when the previous Channel 7 TV commentator was taken again to jail following horrific allegations of his assault and abuse of a lady.
The previous Take a look at opener collapsed in Maroochydore Magistrates Court docket on April 16 after being refused bail on a number of expenses, together with stalking, enter dwelling with intent by break at night time, choking, assault occasioning bodily hurt, widespread assault and breaching bail.
The talk concerning the Wagga Wagga junior cricketer having a council sporting facility named in his honour divided the neighborhood when Wagga Wagga Metropolis Council amended the Parks Naming Coverage in August to handle the difficulty.
Councillor Dan Hayes stated on the time: “I need to take a look at methods wherein we may very well be changing that title with somebody extra deserving. Somebody with out legal expenses”.
Nevertheless, the ability stays beneath the title ‘Michael Slater Oval’.
A photograph shared by Councillor Jenny McKinnon on Tuesday reveals the monument on the Bolton Park grounds has been altered with Slater’s title utterly coated up.
McKinnon, beforehand the deputy mayor, wrote on Fb: “I’ve urged Council to vary the title of this oval as a matter of urgency. Glad to see that somebody (perhaps Council?) has taken some stealth motion.”
Slater in 2014 was one in all three former take a look at cricketers to have an oval named in his honour on the Bolton Park advanced, alongside former Take a look at captain Mark Taylor and quick bowler Geoff Lawson.
Mayor of the Metropolis of Wagga Wagga Rod Kendall celebrated the announcement in 2014. Slater’s dad Peter attended the ceremony to unveil the monuments.
Michael Slater Oval additionally hosts AFL, soccer and rugby league occasions, resulting in earlier requires the oval to be renamed in honour of one of many many different sporting heroes which have come from the NSW Riverina.
In 2020 there was a push for Aussie cricketing trailblazer Alex Blackwell, who captained the Aussie ladies’s cricket staff, to exchange Slater.
Slater, in the meantime, will return to court docket on Might 31.
A court docket in April heard scores of alleged abusive texts he despatched to a lady in a tirade ranging from the morning and ending nicely into the afternoon.
Court docket paperwork confirmed one chilling message the place he stated the lady had “put a superb man in jail”.
The texts observe related alleged streams of abuse from the previous cricket star in the direction of the identical lady since December final 12 months, with police claiming he bombarded her with greater than 300 abusive texts.
On March 10, Mr Slater allegedly despatched greater than 100 messages and claimed he would kill himself.
Throughout the barrage he allegedly wrote: “Get f**ked you’re a fraud, I’m going to hold my cranium on the entrance of my home. How does that f**king really feel you c**t. You f**king killed me.”
Particulars of a few of the alleged messages, alongside along with his alleged bodily abuse of the lady, had been raised in court docket as police opposed Mr Slater’s bail software.
Slater is accused of bodily assaulting the lady after she attended his dwelling on December 6, 2023 over considerations for his welfare.
Police allege he struck her throughout the face, kicked her and raised a bottle of vodka whereas saying: “I’ll f**king kill you.”
He’s then alleged to have choked her, lifting her off the bottom as she fled to the laundry room.
That is regardless of his Authorized Assist lawyer Michael Robinson stating the previous cricketer can be enterprise a “main intervention” by residing in a rehabilitation centre in Sydney.
Slater and his authorized staff have disputed allegations of bodily violence.
Affectionately referred to as “Slats” by these near him, Mr Slater opened the batting for the Australian Take a look at staff by way of the Nineties and early 2000s.
He turned one in all solely 4 gamers to have performed in every of the 15 matches between 1999 and 2001 – the period that delivered the Australian staff the most effective run of consecutive victories in Take a look at cricket historical past.
Mr Slater scored 5312 Take a look at runs in 74 matches. He additionally performed 42 one-day internationals for Australia.
After retiring in 2004, he moved to commentary with channels 7 and 9 and different media networks.
Information.com.au has contacted Councillor McKinnon for remark.
