Tragic Death of Young Cricketer Ben Austin in Melbourne

Thu Oct 30 2025 17:34:32 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Ben Austin, a 17-year-old cricketer, tragically lost his life due to an accident during training in Melbourne, sparking widespread mourning in the cricket community.

Seventeen-year-old Ben Austin died after being struck in the neck by a cricket ball during a practice session in Ferntree Gully, Melbourne. Emergency services rushed him to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries days later. His family and the wider cricket community are devastated by the loss.

An Australian teenager has died after he was hit by a cricket ball during a practice session in Melbourne.

Ben Austin, 17, was training - with a helmet but no neck guard - in cricket nets in Ferntree Gully on Tuesday when he was hit in the neck by a ball thrown using a handheld ball launcher.

Emergency workers attended the scene around 17:00 local time (06:00 GMT) before Ben was rushed to hospital in critical condition. He was put on life support but died on Thursday.

Ben's dad Jace Austin said the family was 'utterly devastated' by the death of 'our beautiful Ben', while Cricket Victoria confirmed that the cricketing community across the country would be mourning the teenager's death.

In a statement, Jace Austin shared details of his family's loss. 'For Tracey and I, Ben was an adored son, deeply loved brother to Cooper and Zach and a shining light in the lives of our family and friends,' he said. 'This tragedy has taken Ben from us, but we find some comfort that he was doing something he did for so many summers - going down to the nets with mates to play cricket.'

Mr. Austin said the family was also supporting Ben's teammate who was bowling in the nets when the accident happened. He thanked the local cricketing community for their support since the accident and praised the first responders and medical staff who helped his son.

Cricket Victoria chief executive officer Nick Cummins described the incident as an 'extremely challenging time' for all involved, noting that this was a similar accident to that which claimed Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes in 2014.

Ben was a talented player known in under-18 circles in Melbourne's southeast and played for the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club, which called on friends and supporters to 'put your bats out for Benny' in a heartfelt tribute.

The wider community expressed their sorrow over the loss of a promising young athlete, with tributes pouring in that acknowledged his kind nature and love for both cricket and football. This tragic event underscores the need for ongoing safety measures in sports, especially for young athletes.