Copyright indiatimes
A promising young Australian cricketer has died after being struck by a ball during practice in Melbourne, leaving his local sporting community heartbroken.Ben Austin, 17, was reportedly training at the Wally Tew Reserve in Ferntree Gully on Tuesday afternoon when the freak accident occurred. According to reports, the teenager was facing deliveries from an automatic bowling machine in the nets while wearing a helmet when he was hit in the head and neck area.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Paramedics rushed to the scene, and Austin was taken to Monash Medical Centre in a critical condition. Despite the best efforts of doctors, he died on Wednesday.The Ferntree Gully Cricket Club, where Ben played, confirmed his death in a statement on Thursday morning, saying the entire community was “absolutely devastated.”“We are absolutely devastated by the passing of Ben, and the impacts of his death will be felt by all in our cricket community,” the club wrote on social media. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family – Jace, Tracey, Cooper, and Zach – his extended family, friends, and all who knew Ben and the joy that he brought.”Ben was described by his club as a “star cricketer, great leader, and an awesome young man.” He also represented Mulgrave and Eildon Park cricket clubs and played junior football for Waverley Park Hawks.Ferntree Gully and District Cricket Association president Arnie Walters called Austin “both talented and popular,” adding, “We will provide any and all support we can to our clubs and cricket family.”Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll said grief support was being offered to students at Rowville Secondary College, where Ben studied. “We will wrap our arms around them and give them every support they need,” he said. “This is a tragedy that will last many years for that local community.”Austin’s death has drawn comparisons to the 2014 tragedy that claimed the life of Australian Test batter Phillip Hughes, who was struck in the neck during a Sheffield Shield game. Hughes’s death prompted sweeping safety reforms in cricket.While such fatalities remain rare, Ben Austin’s passing has once again shaken the cricketing world — reminding everyone of the risks faced even in routine training sessions.Catch Lovlina Borgohain's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 5. Watch Here
