Sean Abbott reportedly paid a visit to Ferntree Gully Cricket Club on Friday in the wake of the tragic death of 17-year-old Ben Austin. And Abbott is said to have reached out to the other player involved in the terrible accident.
Austin, who was a talented youngster from Melbourne, was struck by a ball while warming up in the nets for a local game on Tuesday. He was rushed to hospital but passed away on Thursday.
The cricket world has been left devastated by the tragedy, which evoked awful memories of Phillip Hughes’ death. Hughes – who played Test and ODI cricket for Australia – was playing a Sheffield Shield game for South Australia against NSW in 2014 when he was struck and later died.
Sean Abbott (L) paid a visit to Ferntree Gully Cricket Club (R) after Ben Austin’s death. Image: Getty
Abbott bowled the ball that hit Hughes, who was attempting a pull-shot when he was struck near the head and neck. The incident with Austin is said to have been very similar, with both Hughes and Austin wearing helmets at the time.
Channel 7 reported on Friday night that Abbott has reached out to the person who delivered the ball to Austin via a ‘wanger’ – a plastic contraption designed to sling balls at batters to save bowlers’ arms. Abbott is also believed to have been among the many mourners who visited Ferntree Gully Cricket Club on Friday to pay their respects.
Abbott has gone on to have a wonderful career since the Hughes tragedy, playing for Australia in T20 and ODI cricket. He’s also been in the Test squad on numerous occasions and is a slim chance to debut in the upcoming Ashes series.
Sean Abbott (L) bowled the ball that hit Phillip Hughes (R). Image: Getty
Cricket world mourns death of Aussie teenager Ben Austin
He didn’t play in Australia’s T20 clash with India on Friday night, but was in the squad and present at the MCG when a tribute was held for Austin. A cap bearing Ben’s number 512 sat on a podium at the centre of the ground as the crowd of 75,000 spectators paid their respects before the game.
Ben Austin was a talented cricketer from Melbourne. (PR IMAGE/Supplied by Ferntree Gully Cricket Club)
The Indian team joined the Australians in wearing black armbands, just like the women’s teams did at the ODI World Cup on Thursday night. A vigil was also held before the Sheffield Shield game between Victoria and Tasmania at Junction Oval on Friday afternoon, where players and officials held a moment of silence.
Cricket Victoria chief executive Nick Cummins described the tribute as bittersweet. “It makes you so proud to realise how connected the cricket community is and how much we look after each other … but it’s a shame that it’s these moments that remind you of that very fact,” he told reporters.
“Ben was the classic Aussie boy or girl who loved footy in the winter and cricket in the summer. He is how we would like all of our children to turn out, and was living the dream.”
Sean Abbott and the Australian team paid their respects before the first T20 against India. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
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Friend and teammate Liam Vertigan said Ferntree Gully Cricket Club was in a state of shock. “He was just well loved by us all, very, very polite, always with a smile on his face,” Mr Vertigan told AAP.
Ben’s family returned to the scene of the accident on Friday, laying his bat and gloves down for the last time. His emotional father Jace reminisced about how he introduced his son to the sport and how Ben grew up as a sports enthusiast involved in multiple football and cricket clubs.
“This is a great game, cricket, it wasn’t the game’s fault. It was just a freak accident,” Mr Austin said. “Please make sure you keep playing this great game. That’s what he would want.”
with AAP