Overview
- Ferntree Gully Cricket Club confirmed Ben Austin died after being placed on life support following a Tuesday afternoon injury at Wally Tew Reserve.
- Paramedics provided advanced care on scene before transporting the school student to Monash Medical Centre in critical condition.
- Cricket Victoria’s chief executive said the current understanding is that the ball was thrown with a sidearm device, though some reports cited an automatic bowling machine and details remain under review.
- Austin was wearing a helmet but not a stem guard, according to Cricket Victoria, as state and national bodies coordinate counselling and assistance for his family, teammates and officials.
- The case has drawn comparisons to Phillip Hughes’ 2014 death and is prompting fresh discussion about training safety and protective equipment at community level.