A 17-year-old cricketer’s death has reignited conversations about the sport’s safety.
Victorian cricketer Ben Austin died on Thursday after another boy accidentally hit him in the neck with a ball during training in Melbourne’s east earlier in the week.
Here’s what to know.
Context
Austin was struck by a ball launched by a teammate using a device known as a “wanger”.
At the time, Austin was wearing a helmet but not a neck guard.
He was taken to the hospital but died of his injuries.
The teammate who threw the ball has not been named.
Since Austin’s death, one of the clubs he played with, Ferntree Gully, has encouraged players to put their “bats out for Benny”.
Your contribution ensures The Daily Aus can continue doing the work you love.
I want to give $10 monthly to help TDA keep doing the news.
Your details:
In a statement, the club said: “We are absolutely devastated by the passing of Ben, and the impacts of his death will be felt by all in our cricket community.”
On Thursday, Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins said: “It is heartbreaking to see a young life cut so short, while Ben was doing something that he loved so much.”
“Our thoughts are also with his teammate who was practising with him in the nets – his life has been profoundly impacted and we will continue to provide all the support we can to he and his family as well.”
Safety
Ben’s death has been compared to that of former Test cricketer Phillip Hughes, who died in 2014 after being struck in the neck by a ball during a Sheffield Shield match. The Sheffield Shield is Australia’s senior interstate cricket competition.
Hughes’ death led to new safety standards for helmets and neck guards at the professional level. Cricket players also marked his death by leaving their bats outside their front doors.
Currently, Cricket Australia “strongly recommends” community cricket players wear neck protectors, and British-standard helmets.
These helmets were developed with new tests for facial impact and improved coverage of the side and back of the head.
Experts say community cricket is still not as well protected because there is not as much oversight, especially in training environments.
