Tragedy at the nets
A talented 17-year-old cricketer, Ben Austin, died after being hit in the neck by a cricket ball during a practice session at Wally Tew Reserve in Ferntree Gully, Melbourne. The incident occurred at around 4:45 pm on Tuesday while he was warming up in the nets before a T20 match. Despite wearing a helmet, he was not using a neck guard. He collapsed almost immediately after being struck. Advanced life support was provided at the scene and he was rushed by ambulance to Monash Medical Centre, where he later died.
An echo of a past tragedy
The fatal nature of this incident has drawn immediate comparisons to the 2014 death of Australian international Phillip Hughes, who also died after being struck in the neck by a cricket ball.
Cricket-Victoria and local clubs have expressed deep sorrow and highlighted that the sport, even at amateur levels, carries risks requiring vigilance and safety measures.
Who was Ben Austin?
Ben was a member of the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club and had previously played for other local clubs in the southeast Melbourne region. He was recognised as both a talented player and a beloved teammate. His family described him as a “shining light” in their lives.
Tributes have poured in from his club, the local cricket community, and state associations. The club asked for privacy for his family during this difficult time.
Safety concerns reignited
The manner of the accident has pushed safety to the forefront. Though wearing a helmet, Ben was not equipped with a neck guard—a piece of protection that has been discussed widely since Hughes’s death. Officials say the incident will spark renewed calls for safety standards at grassroots levels, including the use of neck protectors, stricter helmet specs, and supervision during net practices.
The tool that delivered the ball was reportedly a handheld ball-launcher (also called a “wanger”), used routinely in training but raising questions about risk when used in confined nets.
The local and national response
Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins acknowledged the incident as “an extremely challenging time” for the junior’s family, teammates and the wider cricket community.
The family of Phillip Hughes also sent a message of empathy, noting they “know all too well” the grief such a loss brings and calling for continued improvements in player safety.
What to watch next
- Whether Ferntree Gully Cricket Club and Cricket Victoria will mandate neck guards and review training-gear protocols.
- How grassroots clubs across Australia respond—whether there will be immediate changes in net sessions, ball-launcher usage, supervision, and equipment-checks.
- Possible coronial investigation into the exact cause of death and whether any equipment, procedure or oversight contributed.
- Broader debate around protections for junior players: helmet design, neck guard efficacy, and training risk management in amateur sport.
The takeaway
This heartbreaking incident underlines the inherent risks in sport—even among young, promising athletes in routine practice sessions. Ben Austin’s passing is a devastating reminder that safety protocols must evolve, not just at elite levels, but at every club and every net session. The cricket community mourns his loss and must now channel grief into meaningful action to protect upcoming players.
