Young Cricketer Ben Austin Passes Away After Neck Injury at Practice

Sad news has recently rocked the Australian cricket community. 17 year-old Ben Austin, who played for various youth teams around Melbourne but had been enjoying success this season as a young cricketer in the senior grade team of Ferntree Gully won’t have any chance to build on that record after dying from head injuries following an accident during practice earlier this week at Wally Tew Reserve in Ferntree Gully where Ben was on duty in the nets with his local club.

According to witnesses, Ben was hit in the neck and the back of his head while batting. He was wearing a helmet, but did not have a neck guard that would offer extra protection to that vulnerable area between helmet and shoulders. Paramedics were on the scene immediately, providing medical assistance before taking him to hospital. Despite being put on life support he died tragically that night from his injuries.

Ben was known as a committed and eager cricketer. Loved, valued by his teammates, coaches and community. Practicing with Ferntree Gully Cricket Club for years, seen as an up-and-coming future star. His father, Jace Austin, said Ben was a “shining light” who found his greatest happiness in playing the sport he loved. In deep sadness the family expressed their gratitude and sorrow but said that they got some comfort from knowing Ben spent last moments doing what he loved most: playing cricket with friends.

His club has issued a statement to express deep sorrow for the loss of Ben, saying that the entire community is in shock. They described him as a polite, cheerful, well off young man who was devoted to cricket, inspiring everyone around him by example and through his keen participation in the sport. Teammates held a candlelight vigil and left their cricket bats outside their houses in a gesture of remembrance – an act much like those paid to Australian Test cricketer Phillip Hughes who died in 2014 from a similar neck injury.

Safety standards in cricket are once again in the spotlight after Ben’s tragic death,especially the use of neck guards.Many players,amateur and professionals alike,still do not wear them even though these protective additions came in as a result of Hughes’ death.By complaining about discomfort or restricting movement commonplace with neck guards on their helmets,many cricketers avoid wearing protection for their lives and more needs to be done.Now authorities are pressing on with demands to make at least some sort (if not all) protection mandatory throughout all stages and activities in cricket.Safety experts and coaches are also calling for more stringent safety measures in net practice,suggesting that helmets and neck guards become obligatory for all bat-boys as well as monitoring preparations at training venues should be improved–with psychological help available to players affected by such tragic situations.Noel Pollock says Tributes are flooding in from all over the country players, fans and clubs are posting on social media with the hashtag “BatsOutForBen.”Many people have placed bats outside their homes or club rooms to honor his memory.The family of Ben Austin, in a truly remarkable show of humanity extended their support to the young bowler who was involved in the accident.Even more profoundly sympathetic was their insistence that it was not the fault of anyone, nor should guilty be felt by anyone for what happened.Heartsirresolvablycried How Benplus ajsPoet can the demiseSubhakarvon poets cruelly turn into a requiem harThe tragic suicide of Ben Austin is a grim reminder that in nearly half a century of defiance,Death still keeps stalking cricket no matter how much we seem now to have everything–though no one is prepared for it. His sad story has moved many people and led to renewed demands for better protection of young athletes.

While his friends and family cry for the expired life of a kind-hearted, talented and passionate young man, the cricket world silently treats Ben for his future or potential ever.Indeed his father’s words sum up his nature perfectly–“Every day he went about with words and laughed. He went out to cricket with love, and can only be that way remembered.