MELBOURNE: A 17-year-old Australian cricketer, Ben Austin, tragically passed away on Thursday after being struck by a ball during a practice session, leaving his family and the cricket community in deep shock.
According to local reports, Austin was training in the nets ahead of a Twenty20 match in Melbourne on Tuesday when a ball from a throwing machine hit him in the neck, despite wearing a helmet. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries two days later.
“We are utterly devastated by the loss of our beautiful Ben, who passed away early Thursday morning,” his father, Jace Austin, said in a statement.
“This tragedy has taken Ben from us, but it brings some comfort knowing he was doing what he loved — spending time in the nets with his mates.”
The grieving father also expressed support for Ben’s teammate who was bowling at the time, acknowledging that the incident had affected two young lives.
Austin was described by his Ferntree Gully Cricket Club as a “talented all-rounder, natural leader, and a wonderful young man.”
Fatal incidents in cricket are extremely rare. The tragedy has drawn comparisons to the death of Phillip Hughes in 2014, when the Australian Test cricketer was fatally struck on the neck by a rising delivery during a Sheffield Shield match — an event that led to significant improvements in player safety and protective gear.
Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins noted the similarity between the two accidents, saying:
“The ball struck him in the neck in a way very similar to the accident that took Phil Hughes’ life 10 years ago.”
Cricket Australia Chair Mike Baird said the entire cricket fraternity was heartbroken by the incident.
“Our hearts are shattered for Ben’s family. There are lessons we must continue to learn from such tragedies, but right now our focus is on supporting his loved ones in every possible way,” Baird told reporters.
