Teen cricketer Ben Austin dies after being hit on head during training session

A 17-year-old cricketer has died aft being deed successful the caput during a grooming league successful suburban Melbourne.

Local cricket officials said Ben Austin was rushed to a infirmary successful captious information aft being struck by a shot during signifier astatine Ferntree Gully connected Tuesday.

He was batting successful the nets — which are typically signifier pitches enclosed by netting — against bowlers erstwhile the wounded occurred successful beforehand of his teammates.

The Ferntree Gully Cricket Club connected Thursdsay (October 20, 2025) confirmed that Austin had died.

“We are perfectly devastated by the passing of Ben, and the impacts of his decease volition beryllium felt by each successful our cricket community,” the nine said successful a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his household . . . his friends and to each of those who knew Ben and the joyousness that helium brought.”

Ringwood and District Cricket Association president Michael Finn said Austin was warming up successful the nets erstwhile the wounded occurred.

“Medical assistance was provided by radical astatine the crushed astatine the clip until the paramedics arrived,” helium said.

Cricket Australia released a connection from Ben's father, Jace Austin, issued connection connected behalf of the family.

“This calamity has taken Ben from us, but we find immoderate comfortableness that helium was doing thing helium did for truthful galore summers — going down to the nets with mates to play cricket,” the family's connection said. "He loved cricket and it was 1 of the joys of his life.

“We would besides similar to enactment his teammate who was bowling successful the nets — this mishap has impacted 2 young men and our thoughts are with helium and his household arsenic well.”

In November 2014, planetary cricketer Phillip Hughes died successful a Sydney infirmary astatine the property of 25 2 days aft being deed adjacent the receptor by a shot portion batting for South Australia against his erstwhile team, New South Wales, successful a first-class match.

Hours aft Hughes' death, Cricket Australia postponed the archetypal scheduled cricket trial against India successful Brisbane. New regulations were subsequently introduced for batting helmets successful top-tier cricket.