An Australian teenager has died after he was hit by a cricket ball during a practice session in Melbourne.
Ben Austin, 17, was training - with a helmet but no neck guard - in cricket nets in Ferntree Gully on Tuesday when he was hit in the neck by a ball thrown using a handheld ball launcher.
Emergency workers attended the scene around 17:00 local time (06:00 GMT) before Ben was rushed to hospital in critical condition. He was put on life support but died on Thursday.
Ben's dad Jace Austin said the family was 'utterly devastated' by the death of 'our beautiful Ben' while Cricket Victoria said the cricketing community across the country would be mourning the teenager's death.
In a statement, Jace Austin shared details of his family's loss. '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.'
Mr. Austin mentioned that the family was also supporting Ben's teammate who was bowling when the accident happened. He thanked the local cricketing community for their support and praised first responders and medical staff for their efforts.
Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins noted that the incident was reminiscent of a tragedy involving Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes, who died after a similar neck injury in 2014. He emphasized the importance of safety within the sport.
Ben played for the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club, which paid tribute to him, and called on supporters to 'put your bats out for Benny', echoing sentiments expressed after Hughes' death.
The Waverley Park Hawks Junior Football Club, where Ben had a noteworthy football career, described him as 'kind', 'respectful', and a 'fantastic footballer', lamenting the loss of such a promising individual.
