MELBOURNE: Seventeen-year-old emerging Australian cricketer Ben Austen has tragically passed away after being struck on the neck by a ball during practice on Thursday.
According to AFP, Austen was practicing in the nets ahead of a T20 match in Melbourne on Tuesday when the incident occurred. Although he was wearing a helmet, the ball hit him on the neck. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries two days later.
In a heartfelt statement, Ben’s father, Jess Austen, said,
“We are devastated by the loss of our beautiful boy, Ben, who left us on Thursday morning.”
He added,
“While the grief is unbearable, we take some comfort in knowing that Ben was doing what he loved most — spending his summer playing cricket with his mates.”
Jess Austen also expressed deep sympathy for the bowler involved in the tragic incident, saying,
“This accident has affected two young men. Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy who bowled the ball and his family.”
Ben was a standout all-rounder for the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club, which described him as “a star cricketer, a great leader, and an outstanding young man.”
Deaths in cricket are extremely rare. The last high-profile tragedy of this kind in Australia occurred in 2014, when Test cricketer Phillip Hughes died after being struck by a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match. His death led to sweeping safety reforms and the introduction of improved protective gear in cricket.
Cricket Victoria Chief Executive Nick Cummins told ABC that the ball struck Ben “in a similar area to where Phillip Hughes was hit.”
Cricket Australia Chairman Mike Baird expressed heartbreak over the tragedy and stressed the
