Calls for Wagga Wagga's Michael Slater Oval to be renamed after domestic violence allegations

The sign has been altered to erase Michael Slater’s name. (ABC Riverina: Shauna Foley)

There are mounting calls for a sports oval named in honour of former Test cricketer Michael Slater to be renamed.

The oval in Mr Slater’s hometown of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, was renamed in 2014 to acknowledge his sporting accomplishments.

Mr Slater is facing court on domestic violence-related offences and was denied bail by a Queensland court in April.

His name on the sign at the oval was recently painted over and the defacement has prompted Wagga Wagga’s mayor to support changing the oval’s name.

“We seriously need to consider renaming this park,” Dallas Tout said.

“I know they’re alleged charges, but these are the sort of issues that communities need to stand up for.”

The Wagga Wagga City Council has a policy in place that allows it to change the name of public spaces at its discretion.

“I’ll be voting in favour of putting it out to the community to have it renamed,” he said.

Murrumbidgee Mankadders president Michael Hargraves said the Wagga Wagga-based club supported the idea of renaming the ground.

“We’ve had someone from our tiny community go and be one of the best players in the world, but we’ve also got him with his alleged charges,” he said.

Female greats suggested

Wagga Wagga local and gender advocate Jenny Rolfe-Wallace said there were other famous cricketers from the city the field could be named after, including twin sisters Alex and Kate Blackwell.

“They both played cricket from Australia — how wonderful would it be to include some gender diversity in our cricketing fields by renaming it after them,” she said.

“It would be great to have both of them recognised on the sign.

“We disproportionately acknowledge our male athletes.”

Ms Rolfe-Wallace said the vandalism showed the “level of frustration that women have at the moment of the lack of action on things that are really important”.

Police said the vandalism had not been reported and that the matter was not being investigated.

Cricket Australia and Cricket NSW have been contacted for comment.