MELBOURNE, 31 October (H.S.): The global cricket community is in mourning following the tragic death of 17-year-old Melbourne cricketer Ben Austin. The young sportsman passed away on Thursday after being struck by a ball during a net practice session earlier in the week.Austin was batting at the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club on Tuesday when a ball delivered from a sidearm thrower struck him in the neck. He was rushed to the hospital and placed on life support but succumbed to his injuries on Thursday morning.
Before the start of the T20 match between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday, both teams, along with match officials and representatives from Austin’s club, observed a minute of silence in his honor.
A picture of the smiling teenager was displayed on the stadium’s large screens, and his cap was placed on a specially arranged dais. Players and umpires from both sides wore black armbands as a mark of respect.Similar tributes were held across the sport.
The Australian and Indian women’s teams wore black armbands during their World Cup semi-final, and Sheffield Shield players paid their respects with a bat-raise and a moment of silence before the Victoria-Tasmania match.
Jess Austin, Ben’s father, expressed the family’s profound grief, stating, This tragedy has broken us, but we find some comfort in knowing that Ben was doing what he loved most — playing cricket with his friends.
Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins described Ben as a true Australian boy who loved football in the winter and cricket in the summer, adding, He was the kind of kid we all want our children to be.
The incident has raised questions about the safety of sidearm equipment at club and junior levels. It was reported that while Ben was wearing a helmet, it did not have a stem guard, which is now mandatory in professional matches.
Friends and fans have created a memorial outside the Ferntree Gully club with flowers, sweets, and cricket bats.The tragic event has brought back memories of the 2014 death of professional cricketer Phillip Hughes, who also died after being struck in the neck by a ball during a match.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
