Teenage cricketer dies in training accident in Australia

The teenager’s cervix was struck by a shot successful a chilling similarity to the decease of Australia planetary Phil Hughes.

A 17-year-old cricketer has died successful a grooming mishap successful suburban Melbourne.

Local cricket officials said connected Thursday that Ben Austin was rushed to a infirmary successful captious information aft being struck connected the cervix by a shot during signifier astatine Ferntree Gully connected Tuesday.

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He was batting successful the nets, which are typically signifier pitches enclosed by netting, erstwhile the wounded occurred successful beforehand of his teammates.

The Ferntree Gully Cricket Club confirmed Austin had died connected Wednesday.

“We are perfectly devastated by the passing of Ben, and the impacts of his decease volition beryllium felt by each successful our cricket community,” the nine said successful a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, … his friends and to each of those who knew Ben and the joyousness that helium brought.”

Ringwood and District Cricket Association President Michael Finn said Austin was warming up successful the nets erstwhile the wounded occurred.

“Medical assistance was provided by radical astatine the crushed astatine the clip until the paramedics arrived,” helium said.

Cricket Australia released a connection from Ben’s father, Jace Austin, connected behalf of the family.

“This calamity has taken Ben from us, but we find immoderate comfortableness that helium was doing thing helium did for truthful galore summers – going down to the nets with mates to play cricket,” the family’s connection said. “He loved cricket and it was 1 of the joys of his life.

“We would besides similar to enactment his teammate who was bowling successful the nets – this mishap has impacted 2 young men and our thoughts are with helium and his household arsenic well.”

The Australian Broadcasting Corp quoted Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins arsenic saying that Austin had been wearing a helmet and “the shot deed him successful the cervix successful a akin mishap that Phil Hughes suffered 10 years ago”.

In November 2014, planetary cricketer Phillip Hughes died successful a Sydney infirmary 2 days aft being deed adjacent the receptor by a shot portion batting for South Australia against his erstwhile team, New South Wales, successful a first-class match. He was 25.

Hours aft Hughes’s death, Cricket Australia postponed a archetypal scheduled cricket Test against India successful Brisbane. New regulations were subsequently introduced for batting helmets successful top-tier cricket.