A Bright Young Life Cut Short

It is with a sense of loss that the sporting fraternity in Melbourne is reacting to the loss of Ben Austin, a 17 year old Ferntree Gully resident who was an electrifying force and enthusiast in sport both on and off the field.

Ben Austin was called the loudest and most spirited in the nets by his team mates and had a trademark chant, which he always used before any game, Here we go, lads! It was not a mere speech, it was a bit of leadership, friendship, and happiness that elevated all his audience.

However, the same Wally Tew reserve that Ben Austin used to laugh, practice, and inspire people is silent today. The cricket nets have become a symbol of love and heartbreak, with flowers, cards, jerseys and cricket bats – all of which contain messages of friends, teammates and a heart-devoted-community.

The Tragic Accident That Shocked a Community

On Tuesday evening, during a regular practice session, Ben was struck in the neck by a cricket ball thrown using a sidearm “wanger” device. Though he was wearing a helmet, it didn’t include a neck protector (stem guard) — a piece of safety gear introduced widely after the death of Australian cricketer Phil Hughes in 2014.

The ball hit Ben Austin in a critical spot. Despite immediate first aid from club members and paramedics, and the use of a defibrillator on-site, he was rushed to Monash Medical Centre in Clayton, where he was placed on life support. Sadly, he passed away on Thursday morning.

Ben Austin – A Biography of a Real Sportsman.

Until his name reverberated throughout the Melbourne sporting circles, Ben Austin was nothing but the boyish Ferntree Gully who could not sit still without a ball in his hand. Being born and raised in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne Ben Austin was born in the family with the principles of teamwork, respect and love to the game that were transcribed into all his sportive activities.

Since he was capable of walking, Ben Austin demonstrated a sense of movement and competition. It was backyard cricket with his brothers, kicking a footy in his local park or playing with his mates after school. It was not merely a hobby, it was a part of him.

His Cricket and Football journey.

Ben was introduced to the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club when he was a boy and soon he gained a reputation that he is not afraid of the bat and is quick with the ball. They used to say that coaches never found him coming late or going early because he was a kid who enjoyed every minute spent on the field.

He began as a junior player and was promoted through the local divisions whereby everyone was impressed by his discipline and leadership even at a tender age. Coaches who worked with him mentioned that he possesses a natural cricketing brain, he always thinks, always positive to the other people, and never lost his trademark smile.

Ben Austin juggled between another passion and Australian Rules Football outside the pitch. He was in the Waverley Park Hawks Junior Football Club and soon he emerged as one of the best players in the team. Throughout his tenure of serving the Hawks, he has worked over 100 games and was respected by his colleagues and coaches. He is dedicated and consistent, which has seen him become the runner-up in the Best and Fairest award in the club this season, the testament of his ability and spirit.

A Student of Sport

Ben was also a proud student of the Rowville Sports Academy which is one of the best schools in Victoria to groom athletic talent. He was also trained by the coaches in Rowville and not only got to know the tricks of cricket and football, but also the rules of discipline, teamwork, and humility.

Classmates and teachers have referred to him as a true and good boy who made the atmosphere light-spirited to everyone. It was either in the training or in the classroom, but Ben was a leading example, silently, confidently, and with unending enthusiasm.

Loved by Every One Who Knew Him.

The field was not the only area that Ben influenced. To his friends, he was a boy who made everyone feel welcome – the type of a team player who would applaud at the achievement of another the most.

He was reputed to be the loudest voice at the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club where he was known to shout Here we go, lads! to help lift the spirits of the team. This was his nickname, the name that his teammates claim that they will never forget.

Ben, even at this young age, had displayed an expression of the best kind of sportsmanship that Melbourne communities cherish the most – respect, commitment and happiness.

A Lasting Legacy

Like a tragic loss to the heart, but also to a great inspiration, is the story of Ben Austin. His experience with community sport is indicative of the finest of the Melbourne culture families, friends and clubs uniting around a common love of the game.

Millions of children such as Ben Austin are running their dreams in every net and local oval in the world of cricket. His tale makes the city of Melbourne remember about the force of passion, the delicateness of life and the necessity to play with heart, which Ben always did.

His last days could be in the innings, but to Ferntree Gully, Waverly Park, and the whole Melbourne sporting community Ben Austin will always serve as a reminder that he was loud, bright and never out at 14.

“A Shining Light in Our Lives”

Ben’s parents, Jace and Tracey Austin, described their son as someone who radiated light and happiness.

“Ben was an adored son, a deeply loved brother to Cooper and Zach, and a shining light in the lives of our family and friends,”
they said in a heartfelt statement.

Even in their grief, the Austin family extended kindness to Ben’s teammate who threw the ball that tragic night, acknowledging the shared pain this accident caused.

“This tragedy has impacted two young men, and our thoughts are with him and his family as well,”
they said.

A True Gully Boy

Ben wasn’t just a cricket prodigy — he was an all-round sportsman. As an all-rounder for the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club, he had recently made his season debut, proudly wearing his “Gully” cap.

He was also a talented footballer, having played over 100 games for the Waverley Park Hawks Junior Football Club, where he was runner-up in the club’s Best and Fairest this season.

Club president Lee Thompson struggled to hold back tears as he paid tribute:

“You’ll always be a Gully boy, Benny. As a club, we’re absolutely devastated.”

Teammate Liam Vertigan remembered Ben’s infectious energy:

“You’d always hear him calling ‘here we go, lads’ before a game, even on the livestreams. He was always full of life — we’ll notice the silence now.”

Tributes Across Melbourne’s Sporting Circles

Ben’s death has united Melbourne’s cricketing and football communities in mourning.

• Cricket Victoria and Cricket Australia both announced tributes in his honour:
  
  • A moment of silence during the Sheffield Shield match at Junction Oval.
    
  • A tribute during the Australia vs India T20 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday night.
    

Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins, who has a son the same age, said:

“Ben was using every one of his waking hours to play cricket. That’s what makes it so hard — a very bright light has been dimmed.”

Remembering Ben

By Thursday evening, the Wally Tew Reserve had transformed into a field of remembrance. Dozens of cricket bats leaned against the nets, inscribed with loving messages from friends and teammates.

One note read simply:

“Forever 14 not out.”

It’s a fitting tribute — not just to a number on a scoreboard, but to a young man whose spirit will remain unbeaten in the hearts of everyone who knew him.

A Call for Safety and Compassion

The incident has reignited discussions around player safety, particularly the use of stem guards at junior and community levels. While cricket authorities have called for space to grieve before policy discussions, many in the community are urging broader safety measures to prevent future tragedies.

But for now, Melbourne’s focus is on remembering Ben — the teammate who led with laughter, the athlete who gave his all, and the young man whose kindness left a mark on everyone he met.

“Put Your Bats Out for Benny”

In his honour, Ferntree Gully Cricket Club has requested the community to put out their cricket bats in memory of Benny, as a show of respect, this is a sad gesture, but it represents togetherness, affection and in memory.

At Ferntree Gully to Waverley Park, at Melbourne to cricket fields all over Australia, the name of Ben Austin will still be heard in every shout of “Here we go, lads”, which now has a deeper meaning and a greater strength.

Rest in peace, Ben Austin.
You’ll always be a Gully boy. 🏏

Everything in Melbourne

bbc.