A 17-year-old Australian teenager, Ben Austin, has tragically died after being struck by a cricket ball during a practice session in Melbourne, despite wearing a helmet.
The incident occurred on Tuesday at cricket nets in Ferntree Gully. Ben, who was training with a helmet but reportedly no neck guard, was hit in the neck by a ball delivered using a handheld ball launcher.
Emergency workers responded to the scene around 17:00 local time, and Ben was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. He was placed on life support but sadly passed away on Thursday.
Family’s Heartbreak and Tribute
Ben’s father, Jace Austin, released a statement expressing the family’s devastating loss.
“For Tracey and I, Ben was an adored son, deeply loved brother to Cooper and Zach and a shining light in the lives of our family and friends,” he said.
He noted that the family finds small comfort in the fact that Ben died while pursuing his passion: “This tragedy has taken Ben from us, but we find some comfort that he was doing something he did for so many summers – going down to the nets with mates to play cricket. He loved cricket and it was one of the joys of his life.”
Mr. Austin also extended support to Ben’s teammate who was bowling at the time of the accident: “This accident has impacted two young men and our thoughts are with he and his family as well.”
Cricket Victoria Chief Executive Officer Nick Cummins stated that the cricketing community across the country is mourning the teenager’s death during this “extremely challenging time.”
Vale Ben Austin.
Cricket Australia is devastated at the passing of 17-year-old Melbourne cricketer Ben Austin following an accident while batting in the nets on Tuesday night. pic.twitter.com/zBifuqrrRG
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) October 30, 2025
Source: BBC
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