Former Australian Test cricketer Michael Slater has been stripped of his life membership and hall of fame status with Cricket New South Wales (CNSW) in the wake of a domestic violence conviction, reports confirm.
Members Vote to Revoke Honours
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, members of Cricket New South Wales have voted in favour of withdrawing the honours bestowed upon the 55-year-old former opening batsman. This decisive action follows Slater's guilty plea to domestic violence-related charges earlier this year, which resulted in a four-year jail sentence.
The court heard that Slater pleaded guilty to seven charges in April 2024, including two counts of common assault, unlawful striking, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, burglary by break-in at night, and two counts of strangulation. The offences were alleged to have occurred between December 5, 2023, and April 12, 2024, involving a woman he was romantically involved with.
A Troubled Legal History
This recent conviction is not an isolated incident in Slater's history. In 2022, he received a two-year community corrections order after pleading guilty to seven charges relating to assault and domestic violence. Furthermore, it is understood that five women have taken out protection orders against him since 2016.
Despite being sentenced to four years in prison in April 2024, Slater walked free from court after Judge Glen Cash suspended the sentence as time served. The former Channel Nine broadcaster had spent more than a year in custody on remand after being arrested in April 2024 and refused bail.
Judge Cash delivered a blunt assessment during sentencing at Maroochydore District Court, stating, "It's obvious, Mr Slater, that you are an alcoholic... Your rehabilitation will not be easy. Alcoholism is part of your make-up." The judge imposed a four-year suspended prison sentence, meaning Slater faces a return to custody if he re-offends.
From Sporting Glory to Fall from Grace
Michael Slater's cricketing career was once the source of his acclaim. He played 74 Tests for Australia between 1993 and 2001, scoring 5,312 runs at an impressive average of 42.83. In domestic cricket, he played 216 First Class matches for New South Wales and Derbyshire.
After retiring in 2004, he transitioned into a successful media career, joining Channel Nine's commentary team and later moving to Channel Seven. However, Channel Seven chose not to renew his contract in 2021.
The decision by CNSW members concludes a process that saw Slater himself appeal to the organisation. It is understood he wrote to CNSW members arguing why he should retain his life membership, but the membership body ultimately voted to sever the formal ties in response to his criminal conviction for domestic violence.
