Australian teenager, Ben Austin, dies after being hit in neck by ball at training

Australian cricket was rocked on Thursday by the death of a teenage player hit by a ball during training at his Melbourne club.

Ben Austin, 17, was struck high in the neck by a ball delivered by a teammate while batting in the nets at Ferntree Gully Cricket Club on Tuesday, governing body Cricket Victoria (CV) said.

He was rushed to hospital and put on life support but died on Wednesday, his club said.

“The ball hit him in the neck in a similar accident that Phil Hughes suffered 10 years ago,” CV head of cricket Nick Cummins told Australian media.

More from First Cricket

India vs Australia, Women's World Cup: What happens if rain washes out the semi-final in Navi Mumbai? Shreyas Iyer out for two months after spleen laceration, undergoing emergency embolization procedure: Report

Vale Ben Austin.

Cricket Australia is devastated at the passing of 17-year-old Melbourne cricketer Ben Austin following an accident while batting in the nets on Tuesday night. pic.twitter.com/zBifuqrrRG

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) October 30, 2025

Australian former test opener Hughes died in 2014 at the age of 25 two days after being hit in the neck by a short ball during a domestic match in Sydney.

Austin had been wearing a helmet but not a neck protector, Cummins confirmed.

The passing of young Melbourne cricketer Ben Austin has left us heartbroken. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, his teammates at Ferntree Gully, Mulgrave and Eildon Park cricket clubs and the entire cricket community. Rest easy, Ben ❤️ pic.twitter.com/LW0ietN3aJ

— Melbourne Renegades (@RenegadesBBL) October 30, 2025

Neck protectors, often known as stem guards, are clip-on attachments to helmets which provide additional protection to a player’s neck and upper spine.

They have been mandatory in elite cricket in Australia since late-2023.