Ben Austin, a 17-year-old cricketer from Melbourne, has died after being struck in the neck by a ball from a bowling machine during training at Wally Tew Reserve in Ferntree Gully. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon, and the cricket community has since rallied to honor his memory.
Ben's father, Jace Austin, described his son as a "beautiful person" and urged others to continue playing cricket, saying, "Please make sure you keep playing this great game. That's what he would want." He visited the nets on Friday, where he noted a sunbeam breaking through clouds: "Then the sun come through the clouds — just what we needed."
Tributes have poured in from across the cricketing world. At the MCG on Friday night, tens of thousands observed a minute's silence before Australia's T20 match against India, with players wearing black armbands. A similar tribute occurred at Junction Oval before a Sheffield Shield match between Victoria and Tasmania, where bats were laid out and Ben's photo was projected on the scoreboard. The Australian women's team also wore black armbands during their World Cup semi-final in Navi Mumbai.
Former Australian coach Darren Lehmann expressed shock, drawing parallels to the death of Phillip Hughes. "It's just shock... It just brought back memories of Phillip Hughes," he said, emphasizing the need for safety measures. Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins called the response "bittersweet."
Locally, the nets at Wally Tew Reserve have been covered with jerseys, flowers, and notes. Ferntree Gully Cricket Club president Lee Thompson remembered Ben as "the most respectful kid" and noted the tragedy's impact on the broader cricket community.
