{"id":252109,"date":"2025-10-31T01:12:23","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T01:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/252109\/"},"modified":"2025-10-31T01:12:23","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T01:12:23","slug":"australia-and-indias-womens-teams-honour-melbourne-teen-ben-austin-as-local-cricket-club-launches-fundraiser","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/252109\/","title":{"rendered":"Australia and India\u2019s women\u2019s teams honour Melbourne teen Ben Austin as local cricket club launches fundraiser"},"content":{"rendered":"

Australia and India\u2019s women\u2019s cricket teams wore black armbands during their World Cup semi-final in Mumbai to honour Ben Austin, the 17-year-old Melbourne cricketer who died after being struck in the neck by a ball during training at Ferntree Gully\u2019s Wally Tew Reserve.<\/p>\n

\"G4fImage: India\u2019s women\u2019s cricket teams wore black armbands during their World Cup semi-final in Mumbai to honour Ben Austin (Source: BCCI \u2013 X)<\/p>\n

\"G4f1qjImage: Australia and India\u2019s women\u2019s cricket teams wore black armbands during their World Cup semi-final in Mumbai to honour Ben Austin (Source: BCCI \u2013 X)<\/p>\n

The teenager was hit while practising in the nets using a \u201cwanger\u201d \u2014 a ball-throwing device \u2014 and despite wearing a helmet, he was not wearing a neck guard. He was rushed to hospital but died two days later.<\/p>\n

Across east Melbourne, families and players have placed cricket bats, helmets and flowers outside the nets in tribute to the talented and much-loved young player.<\/p>\n

\"46bf091fImage: Families and players have placed cricket bats, helmets and flowersto pay tribute to the talented and much-loved young player (Source: The Australia Today)<\/p>\n

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The Ferntree Gully Cricket Club described Ben\u2019s death as \u201cabsolutely devastating,\u201d saying the impact of his passing \u201cwill be felt by all in our cricket community.\u201d The club extended its condolences to Ben\u2019s parents \u2014 Jace and Tracey \u2014 and brothers, Cooper and Zach, while asking the public to respect the family\u2019s privacy.<\/p>\n

\"572351755Image: Ben Austin (Source: Facebook \u2013 Ferntree Gully Cricket Club)<\/p>\n

The club also initiated the \u201cPut your bats out for Benny \ud83c\udfcf\u201d tribute, encouraging the community to display cricket bats on porches and driveways as a mark of respect.<\/p>\n

\"572132930Image: \u201cPut your bats out for Benny\u201d (Source: Facebook \u2013 Ferntree Gully Cricket Club)<\/p>\n

In a further gesture of solidarity, the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club and the Waverley Park Hawks Junior Football Club have launched a joint fundraiser<\/a> to support the Austin family. \u201cOur two clubs are coming together to provide whatever the family needs during this time,\u201d organisers said. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe welcome any donations, big or small, to help them along the way. All funds will be donated directly to the family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"572950538<\/p>\n

The tragedy has revived comparisons with the 2014 death of Phillip Hughes, who suffered a fatal neck injury during a Sheffield Shield match in Sydney. Following Hughes\u2019s death, Cricket Australia made neck protectors mandatory for batters facing fast or medium-paced bowling. However, experts say compliance remains inconsistent, particularly in community and training settings.<\/p>\n

\"PeterImage: Dr Peter Brukner (Source: website)<\/p>\n

Former Australian team doctor Dr Peter Brukner, who treated Hughes, said Austin\u2019s death underscored the need to extend safety mandates across all levels of the sport \u2014 including training. \u201cThis is the third death in 30 years, and two of them have happened at training,\u201d Dr Brukner told the ABC<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re batting to a ball being thrown in any way, you must wear a helmet with a neck guard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird told the ABC that the organisation\u2019s focus was on supporting the Austin family while acknowledging there were lessons to be learned.<\/p>\n

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