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THE cricket The community is mourning the loss of one of their own after a 17-year-old Australian died after being struck in the neck by a ball during training, the country’s national governing body for sport confirmed on Thursday.
Ben Austin was training at Ferntree Gully in Melbourne’s east on Tuesday when he was hit in the neck by a bullet. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition where he was placed on “advanced life support.” Cricket Australia said.
The Australian cricket team observes a minute’s silence for Ben Austin during the second match of the T20 international series between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 31, 2025, in Melbourne, Australia. (Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)
He died of his injuries on Wednesday.
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“We are absolutely devastated by Ben’s passing, and the impact of his death will be felt by everyone in our cricket community,” Ferntree Gully Cricket Club said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family…his friends and everyone who knew Ben and the joy he brought.”
Austin’s father also released a statement Thursday.
“We are completely devastated by the passing of our beautiful Ben, who passed away earlier Thursday morning,” Jace Austin’s statement read. “To Tracey and I, Ben was a beloved son, a deeply loved brother to Cooper and Zach, and a shining light in the lives of our family and friends.
People look at tributes left on cricket nets in memory of promising 17-year-old Australian cricketer Ben Austin, who died in Melbourne on October 30, 2025 after being struck by a ball two days earlier. Austin was in the nets wearing a helmet before a Twenty20 match in Melbourne on October 28 when he was hit in the neck while facing a ball delivery device. (WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
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“This tragedy took Ben from us, but we find some comfort in the fact that he was doing something he did for so many summers: going down to the nets with friends. play cricket. He loved cricket and it was one of the joys of his life.”
The freak accident happened in front of Austin’s teammates, according to the family.
“We would also like to support his teammate who was playing in the nets – this accident has affected two young men and our thoughts are also with him and his family.”
Players observe a minute’s silence for young cricketer Ben Austin, who died on October 30, 2025 after being hit by a ball in the neck before a local match while in the nets facing a ball throwing device, ahead of the second T20 international cricket match between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne on October 31, 2025. (WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
Tributes poured in and the young athlete was honored across the country, including during a minute’s silence ahead of Australia’s T20 international series against Australia. India Friday.
Austin’s tragic death comes more than 10 years after famous cricketer Philip Hughes died in Australia in November 2014, two days after he was hit near the ear by a ball during a match. He was 25 years old.
