Teenager passes away following freak injury in Melbourne

Seventeen-year-old cricketer Ben Austin has passed away after suffering a freak injury during a practice session in Melbourne, sending shockwaves through the Australian cricket community and reviving painful memories of Phil Hughes' death over a decade ago.

Austin, a player from the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, was struck on the neck while batting in the nets on Tuesday (October 28), facing deliveries thrown from a side arm equipment. Though he was wearing a helmet, he was not using a stem guard - the protective flap that shields the vulnerable area beneath the helmet. He collapsed soon after the impact and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. He was placed on life support but he succumbed to his injuries on Thursday morning.

The incident has drawn heartbreaking parallels with the 2014 death of Phil Hughes, who died aged 25 after being struck on the neck by a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG. That incident prompted widespread reforms in cricket safety, including the introduction of stem guards for helmets. While the gear has become standard at professional levels, its use at community and junior levels remains inconsistent.

Austin's father, Jace, said in a statement: "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.

"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.

"We would also like to support his team-mate who was bowling in the nets - this accident has impacted two young men and our thoughts are with he and his family as well."

Cricket Victoria said its immediate focus was on supporting Austin's family, the bowler involved, and all those affected by the accident. A review into the circumstances is expected to follow.

"We're absolutely devastated on behalf of the family, on behalf of the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club, and more broadly, the Victorian cricket community," said Nick Cummins, chief executive of Cricket Victoria.

"We are doing everything we can to support not just the family of young Ben, but also those at the club, and Ben played for a number of clubs, to ensure that they have the counselling and the support, not just today, but well into the future, as this is something that will stay with our community for some time."