Tragic Death of Teenage Cricketer Ben Austin in Melbourne

Thu Oct 30 2025 17:06:47 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Melbourne mourns the loss of 17-year-old cricketer Ben Austin, who died after being struck in the neck by a ball during practice, prompting an outpouring of grief from the community.

Ben Austin, a talented 17-year-old cricketer from Melbourne, died after sustaining a neck injury during a training session. Despite receiving emergency medical care and being put on life support, he tragically passed away two days later. His family is devastated by the loss, and the cricketing community is reflecting on the need for better safety measures following this tragic accident.

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 said 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. He described Ben as an adored son and a shining light in their lives, expressing comfort that Ben was engaging in his favorite sport at the time of the accident.

Mr. Austin emphasized his thoughts were also with Ben's teammate who was bowling in the nets during the tragic event.

Cricket Victoria's CEO Nick Cummins noted that this incident echoes a prior tragedy involving cricketer Phillip Hughes, who also suffered a fatal neck injury during a match in 2014. The cricketing community is now calling for enhanced safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

Ben, a vivacious member of the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club and the Waverley Park Hawks Junior Football Club, leaves behind a legacy of warmth and joy in his community.