Cricket falls silent across Australia after teenager killed by ball

A minute's silence was held ahead of Australia against India at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday as the sport mourned the teenage Australian player who died after being hit by a ball.

In scenes replicated across the country, Australia's players and their Indian counterparts wore black armbands and paused before their Twenty20 international to remember Ben Austin.

The 17-year-old died on Thursday after being hit in the neck before a local Twenty20 game in Melbourne while in the nets facing a ball-throwing device.

He was wearing a helmet, but reportedly not a stem guard, which protects the neck.

It revived memories of Test star Phillip Hughes, who was killed in 2014 when hit in the neck by a ball during a domestic Sheffield Shield game.

A sell-out crowd at the 100,000-capacity MCG joined both teams in standing in silent remembrance of the teenager.

Players observe a minute's silence for young cricketer Ben Austin before the second T20 match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. AFP

Also on Friday, the Victoria and Tasmania teams put their bats out as a symbol of respect, wore black armbands and held a minute's silence as Austin's image was beamed on a big screen before resuming their domestic match in Melbourne.

There were similar scenes in Perth, where Western Australia were playing South Australia.

In Mumbai, both India and Australia wore black armbands during their women's one-day World Cup semifinal on Thursday.

"Thanks to the Indian team for joining us in wearing black armbands to pay tribute to Ben Austin, a young man from Melbourne who tragically lost his life playing the game we all love," the Australian side said.
"Sending love to Ben's friends, family and cricket mates."

Flowers and cricket bats were placed at the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club where the accident occurred on Tuesday.

"It makes you so proud to realise how connected the cricket community is and how much we look after each other," Cricket Victoria chief Nick Cummins told Australian media.

"It doesn't take a lot of imagination to put yourself in the Austin family's position."

Austin's death resonated globally, with England's Barmy Army linking to a GoFundMe page set up to help the family.

"Rest in peace, Ben Austin, never forgotten," said the official supporters group, who are set to descend on Australia in force next month for the Ashes Test series.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan paid tribute, as did a "deeply saddened" England and Wales Cricket Board.

"Gone far too young. Thoughts are with his family and close friends," Vaughan said on X.

Agence France-Presse