‘We’ll Notice the Silence Now’: Young Melbourne Cricketer Dies After Training Accident

Seventeen-year-old Ben Austin’s death after being struck in the neck by a cricket ball has left his teammates, family, and the wider sporting community heartbroken.

The Australian cricket community is mourning the death of Ben Austin, a 17-year-old player from Melbourne who died after being struck in the neck by a cricket ball during training at Wally Tew Reserve in Ferntree Gully.

Ben was hit on Tuesday afternoon while facing throw-downs from a hand-held training device, known as a “whanger,” which allows coaches to hurl cricket balls at high speed without bowling. The ball was accidentally delivered on the full — without bouncing — and struck him in the neck.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene, and specialist paramedics treated Ben before transporting him to Monash Medical Centre in critical condition. He was placed on life support but tragically died on Thursday morning.

Ben’s father, Jace Austin, released an emotional statement expressing the family’s devastation.
“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,” he said. “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.”

Jace also extended his support to Ben’s teammate who was involved in the session. “This accident has impacted two young men and our thoughts are with he and his family as well,” he said.

A student at Rowville Secondary College, Ben had been part of the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club since the age of eight. Club president Lee Thompson said the community was shattered. “He was such a great kid, an all-rounder,” Thompson said. “You’ll always be a Gully boy, Benny.”

“He’d always come up after training, shake your hand, and thank you,” he said. “He was just a really, really nice kid. Very quiet and respectful.”

The club has cancelled all weekend matches and held vigils since Ben’s injury. Mourners have gathered at the training nets to leave flowers, jerseys, and messages. “Put your cricket bats out for Benny,” the club urged on social media.

Teammate Liam Vertigan remembered Ben as “the loudest kid on the field.”
“He just had a heart of gold, so enthusiastic,” he said. “You’d always hear him calling ‘here we go, lads’ before a game, even on the livestreams. We’ll notice the silence now.”

Ben was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, but it did not include a stem guard — a protective extension that covers the neck area.

Cricket Victoria chief executive Nick Cummins compared the tragedy to the death of Phil Hughes in 2014, who was struck in the neck by a ball during a Sheffield Shield match. “It’s often a response to a tragedy that people feel like they need to do something straight away,” Cummins said. “There will be a time to do something. Just need to make sure that we focus on the people who are directly impacted in the immediate time.”

Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird said the organisation’s thoughts were with the Austin family. “Clearly, there are things that we have to learn from this, but right now, we are concerned about the family and trying to support them in every way,” he said.

Outside of cricket, Ben was also a talented footballer, playing more than 100 games for the Waverley Park Hawks Junior Football Club. Club president Mick Mastromanno described him as a kind, humble, and respectful young man.

Ben was a key member of the Hawks’ 2025 grand final team, runner-up in the club’s best and fairest, and named best player in the finals. Mastromanno recalled how Ben showed remarkable sportsmanship earlier in the season: after a big win, he suggested the team wait until their opponents left the rooms before celebrating.

As tributes continue to pour in, Ben’s loss is being felt deeply across both cricket and football circles. For those who knew him best, his energy, kindness, and love of sport will be remembered long after the silence falls on the field.