Ben Austin, a 17-year-old Australian cricketer, died after being struck in the neck by a ball during practice.

Ben Austin, a 17-year-old from Australia, died after a tragic accident during a training session at the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club. The incident occurred on Tuesday when Austin, wearing a helmet, was struck in the neck by a ball-throwing device. Although he was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, he died on Thursday morning. His family stated they were "deeply devastated" by the loss.

Austin was considered a promising player and a leader in his club. Deaths in cricket are rare, and a notable similar case was that of Phillip Hughes in 2014, which led to a review of safety protocols. Officials from Cricket Victoria and Cricket Australia expressed their condolences and emphasized the importance of learning from this tragedy to prevent future incidents.