Michael Slater facts for kids
Slater in 2008
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name |
Michael Jonathon Slater
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 21 February 1970 Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Slats | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right arm medium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut (cap 357) | 3 June 1993 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 20 August 2001 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 114) | 9 December 1993 v South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 24 May 1997 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991/92–2003/04 | New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Derbyshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Source: Cricinfo, 7 December 2009
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michael Jonathon Slater, born on February 21, 1970, is a former professional cricketer from Australia. He also worked as a television presenter. He played in 74 Test matches and 42 One Day Internationals for the Australia national cricket team. He was part of the Australian team that finished as runners-up in the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
Contents
Early Life and Cricket Beginnings
Family and Growing Up
Michael Slater was born in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. He spent his childhood living in both Wagga and Junee. His parents, Peter and Carole, moved to Australia from England in 1966. His father taught agriculture and science.
When Michael was 12, his mother left the family. He later shared that this was a difficult time for him. He felt his schoolwork suffered, and playing sports became his main focus. He also mentioned facing bullying at school, which made his academic challenges even harder.
Starting Cricket Young
Michael's family was always involved in sports, so it felt natural for him to play. When he was 11, he was chosen for the New South Wales Primary School Sports Association cricket and hockey teams. He also made the state under-12 hockey team in 1981. He continued to play hockey in under-13, -15, and -17 teams.
As a teenager, Michael started focusing more on cricket. He joined an Under-16 team in Sydney to improve his skills. After doing very well in the Under-17s, he became captain of the New South Wales Under-16 team.
Overcoming Challenges
When he was 17, Michael hurt his Achilles tendon in a school accident. He had surgery, and at first, he was told his dream of playing cricket for Australia might be over. However, after his operation, he returned to cricket. He was then selected for the Under-19 state team for the national championships.
He later captained the state under-19 team. The next year, as vice-captain, he scored a century (100 runs) in the first match of a carnival. In the final against Victoria, he scored another century, becoming one of the top run-scorers in the series. In 1989, he attended the Australian Institute of Sport Australian Cricket Academy.
Michael Slater's Cricket Career
Michael Slater was a right-handed batter. He sometimes bowled with a right-arm medium-pace style. He played for the New South Wales Blues in Australian domestic cricket. He also played English county cricket with Derbyshire. For his Australian club, the University of NSW Cricket Club, he scored 3873 runs.
Playing for Australia
Michael quickly moved up to the Australian national team. In 1993, at 23 years old, he was chosen for the Ashes tour of England. He became an opening batter alongside vice-captain Mark Taylor. In his very first match, he scored a half-century (50 runs). In the next Test match at Lord's, he scored his first century, famously kissing the Australian coat of arms on his helmet to celebrate.
He continued his strong performance in the home series against New Zealand in 1993–94. He scored 305 runs with a high average. In the 1994–95 Ashes series in Australia, Michael was the top run-scorer with 623 runs. The next season, he scored his first double-century (200 runs) against Sri Lanka in Perth.
Memorable Moments
In the 1998–99 Ashes series, Michael scored a match-winning 123 runs against England in Sydney. This score made up a very large part of his team's total runs. It was one of the highest proportions of runs scored by a single player in a Test innings since 1877.
Throughout his career, Michael sometimes struggled when he was close to scoring a century. He was dismissed nine times when he was in the "nervous nineties" (between 90 and 99 runs).
Later Career and Retirement
Michael was dropped from the Australian Test team in late 1996 due to a period of poor form. It took him two years to get back into the national team. His last international series was the Ashes tour to England in 2001. He started well with a quick 77 runs in his first innings. However, his form then declined. This led to Justin Langer taking his place as opening batter.
Michael faced some personal health challenges during this time. He was unable to restart his career in limited-overs cricket. His long period of low scores eventually led him to retire from professional cricket after playing 74 Test matches.
Media Work
After his cricket career, Michael Slater worked in television and radio.
Television Appearances
In 2005, he was a commentator for Channel 4 in the United Kingdom during the Ashes series. In January 2006, he joined Nine's Wide World of Sports cricket commentary team. He also appeared as a reporter on Channel Nine's health show, What's Good For You?. In 2006, he was a contestant on the Australian version of Torvill and Dean's Dancing on Ice.
From 2009 to 2010, he was the sports presenter for the Nine Network's Weekend Today. In 2009, he also hosted Australia's Greatest Athlete. He was a co-host of The Footy Show, a rugby league television show, and hosted The Cricket Show, both on Channel 9. In 2012, Michael called the diving events at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England.
In 2018, he joined the Seven Network to commentate on their coverage of Test Cricket and the Big Bash League. In 2021, Michael traveled to India to commentate on Indian Premier League cricket. He later left the Seven Network.
Radio Work
Michael was a regular guest on the Triple M Sydney radio sports show Dead Set Legends. He also co-hosted Sky Sports Radio's Big Sports Breakfast until 2017.
