Teenager Ben Austin dies after being struck in neck in cricket nets tragedy

Ben Austin, 17, died in hospital yesterday after being struck in the neck by a cricket ball while practising in the nets at Ferntree Gully on Tuesday night.

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Hughes suffered a similar heartbreaking fate when he died at the crease while batting for South Australia in 2014.

“Our thoughts are with you, the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club and the greater cricket community as we think of Ben and his love of cricket,” the Hughes family statement said.

“We send our warmest sympathies as you navigate through this time, as we know all too well … and hope your cherished memories of Ben comfort you.”

A heartbroken Jace Austin said Ben was a “shining light’’ in the lives of he and his wife, Tracey, his brothers Cooper and Zach, and his 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,’’ Jace Austin said.

“He loved cricket and it was one of the joys of his life.

“We would also like to support his teammate who was bowling in the nets – this accident has impacted two young men and our thoughts are with he and his family as well.’’

He said the Austins would “cherish Ben forever’’.

Ben was struck on the neck by a ball and collapsed in the nets at Walley Tew Reserve in Ferntree Gully on Tuesday night ahead of a Twenty20 match between Ferntree Gully and Eildon Park.

The Rowville Sports Academy student was not listed to play in the game.

After being treated by Ambulance Victoria staff, Ben was taken to Monash Medical Centre and placed on life support.

The Ferntree Gully club and association announced his death this morning.

“All of our thoughts, prayers and love are with Ben’s family at a time of unimaginable grief,’’ the association said.

“Ben – who was both talented and popular in local cricket – is an enormous loss to our local community.

“I know how heavily this news will land across our community and we will provide any and all support we can to our clubs and cricket family.

“We would ask that the privacy is respected of everyone involved at a very difficult time.”

The club said in a statement on Thursday morning it was “absolutely devastated by the passing of Ben, and the impacts of his death will be felt by all in our cricket community’’.

It said its thoughts and prayers were with his family — parents Jace and Tracey, and brothers Cooper and Zach — and “to all of those who knew Ben and the joy that he brought’’.

“We ask you to please respect the privacy of Ben’s family during this time.

“Jace and Tracey would like to thank Ambulance Vic, the Police, the Monash Children’s Hospital and those people who assisted on Tuesday.

“Further details will be shared as they become known, and we will advise of these through our usual process.

“We ask for your continued support in this time of grieving.’’

Speaking to this masthead on Thursday afternoon, shattered Ferntree Gully president Lee Thompson said it had been a harrowing 48 hours for the community.

“It’s obviously too raw at the moment,” Thompson said.

“It’s mixed emotions – we’re having our laughs, but on top of that, we’re having our tears as well.

“We’re getting around each other which is what great community clubs do, we’re doing that at all levels and it’s been amazing people reaching out to the club through emails, phone calls, texting, (and) social media.

“The leadership of the club has been amazing from executive level right through to operational level with coaches and captains.

“Now we move forward on working with the family as to what their needs are and what they want from us. We’ll do whatever they want from us.”

Ben’s death is being felt not just at grassroots level, but the very top of Victorian cricket.

Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins was emotional as he told how his son played with Ben in the Victorian Sub-District association’s John Craig Shield competition two years ago.

Both represented Mt Waverley.

“I know the boy. I know his parents,’’ Cummins said.

Ben’s death has produced an outpouring of grief in the Ferntree Gully District association, at three clubs where he was playing this season and at Waverley Park Hawks Junior Football Club, where he was runner-up in the Under 17 best and fairest this year.

Cricket Victoria has arranged counselling for players and spectators at the ground for the T20.

A witness told this masthead it was a distressing scene.

The incident occurred at 4.45pm and the umpires abandoned the match 15 minutes later.

“After it happened three or four players rushed to help and the rest of us gathered around about 40m away pretty much,’’ the witness said.

“Someone ran and grabbed a defib and an ambulance was there within maybe five or six minutes. Then there was fire brigade and police flying in left, right and centre.

“Everyone was just stunned, not really knowing what was happening and how serious it was, because at first it was like someone had been hit in the head. When they called for the defibrillator it was like, shit, this is much more serious. There were players from both teams who knew the boy, so both teams were concerned.’’

A bat was left outside the nets with a tribute which read “rest easy Benny” on Wednesday morning.

The Ferntree Gully association is expected to call off all cricket this weekend.

The match was part of a tournament organised by the Ringwood and District Cricket Association.

Association president Michael Finn told this masthead yesterday: “Our thoughts and our prayers are with the family at this point in time, but the RDCA will make no further comment until we receive confirmation of the facts of the situation.

“However, what we will do, is we will be providing any support that is required or asked of us, for family, clubs, players and officials who were at the match, should they need to (seek support) at any point in time.”

Ben was an emerging bowler and batter with Ferntree Gully Cricket Club, making his debut with the First XI team as an Under 16 player last season.

He also captained the Ferntree Gully association’s representative side to a premiership in the metropolitan-wide Under 16 Keith Mackay Shield, taking 3-13 and scoring 18 runs in the grand final. With 17 wickets he was the third-highest wicket-taker in the competition.

In March, the Ferntree Gully league awarded him a perpetual trophy for junior players who “show the correct attitude and dedication to playing the game in the right spirit in their representation’’ of the association.

His club welcomed the accolade and called him a “star cricketer, great leader and an awesome young man who is respected and liked by all your teammates’’.

Last Sunday Ben played for the Mulgrave Under 17 team, opening the batting and scoring 35. He’s also lined up with Eildon Park.

He started his cricket with Ferntree Gully juniors in 2018-19 and also turned out for teams at Croydon and Lyndale, where he was a premiership player in the Dandenong District association.

Lyndale on Thursday described Ben as a “talented cricketer with a promising career’’ and his life had ended doing what he loved.

Ferntree Gully Football Club also paid tribute to Austin, who poured in countless hours as a volunteer at the Eastern league outfit.

“From a young age, Benny was an incredible volunteer at our club, taking on roles such as gatekeeper, timekeeper, waterboy, goal umpire, and most recently, boundary umpire — a role he truly thrived in,” the club said.

“Benny was an exceptional contributor to our community and will be deeply missed. An outstanding young man. Rest in peace, Benny.”

Former champion Victorian wicketkeeper Darren Berry coached Ben at Rowville Sports Academy.

Berry has endured much tragedy in cricket, having coached Phillip Hughes at South Australia, been best mates with Shane Warne and worked closely with Dean Jones at the time of his death in India in 2020.

He was also present when David Hookes was struck outside a hotel in 2004.

Ben also played football in the South Metro league, this year finishing second in the best and fairest for Waverley Park Hawks’ Under 17 team. He was also judged best finals player.

The Waverley Park Hawks Junior Football Club remembered Austin as a “kind, respectful, popular and much-loved player”.

“He supported his team mates and was a support to all of the kids that he played with,” the club said in a statement.

“He had a wide network of great friends who will miss him dearly. Ben loved the Hawks and played over 100 games for our club, he was a true Hawks man who was universally loved by the players, coaches and parents.

“We will miss him immensely in seasons to come. Our club and community have lost a truly great young person who was developing into a fine young adult and his loss will be felt keenly by our club for many years to come.

“He was a wonderful all round athlete and loved by all who knew him.

“We will also announce in time about how we can remember and honour Ben’s contribution, example and legacy that he set for the rest of the club to follow.”

Austin was also a rising footy boundary umpire star after officiating the VAFA Premier Men’s reserves grand final in his first season in the competition.

VAFA Umpires Association president Michael Evans paid tribute to the talented teenager.

“I was fortunate enough to have umpired with Ben through the year and found him to be talented and passionate, with a bright future ahead of him. It is unsurprising that this has been a consistent message from all those who knew Ben, including his cricket and football clubs,” Evans said.

Shaun Bourke, a fellow boundary umpire, remembered Austin for his willingness to go above and beyond.

“Ben was an outstanding young man. Despite living in Ferntree Gully, he umpired all across metro Melbourne and was always happy to help us out, often doing a second game,” he said.

Ben’s father, Jace, is a popular and well-known figure in suburban football.

He coached the reserves and was an assistant at Noble Park, and was on the panel of premiership winner Wantirna South in the Eastern league this year.

While the cause of Ben’s death is still being investigated, it brings back tragic memories of the death of Australian Test cricketer Phil Hughes a decade ago.

Hughes was struck in the neck by the ball after missing an attempted hook shot in 2014.

Hughes, 25, suffered a vertebral artery dissection, described at the time by Australian team doctor Peter Brukner, as “a freakish accident”.

Dr Brukner said then there were only 100 reported cases of such a devastating injury.

“This (Hughes) was a freakish accident because it was an injury to the neck that caused a haemorrhage in the brain,” Brukner said.

The vertebral artery runs along the back of the neck and supplies the brain and spine with oxygen-rich blood.

When there’s a tear or injury in one or more of its three tissue layers it can affect blood flow and trigger life-threatening complications.

Victorian Education Minister and Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said the government sent its “sincere condolences and heartfelt thoughts to his family”.

“This is obviously someone who lit up every room he walked into.

“He was a valued member of his cricket club, his school and our thoughts are with him and his family at this very difficult time.

“We will wrap our arms around them and give them every support that they need.

“This is a tragedy that will last many, many years for that local community.”

He said the Department of Education was working with the college providing support services.

— with Brayden May, Robyn Riley and Brendan Kearns