The daddy of the teenage cricketer killed this week after being hit by a ball has damaged his silence, saying his son would have needed his mates to maintain enjoying the sport he beloved.
Talking by tears and carrying his son Ben’s cap at Ferntree Gully Cricket Membership, Jace Austin positioned his son’s cricket gear within the nets the place he died on Tuesday.
‘We bought his bat, his gloves, my household … simply needed to be the place he final stood,’ a tearful Mr Austin mentioned.
‘I assumed I’d by no means get again to there, however Benny would have needed that as a result of he beloved the sport.
‘This can be a nice sport, cricket, it wasn’t the sport’s fault, that was only a freak accident, a freak accident.
‘Please be sure to hold enjoying this nice sport, that is what he would need.’
Jace Austin paid tribute to his son on Friday after he was killed within the nets earlier within the week
Ben Austin would have needed his mates to proceed enjoying the sport he beloved
Mr Austin is comforted by a buddy on Friday afternoon
The promising younger cricketer was hit within the neck by a ball throughout a coaching session at Wally Tew Reserve in Melbourne’s southeast on Tuesday earlier than being rushed to hospital in a vital situation.
The 17-year-old was positioned on life assist however died in Monash Youngsters’s Hospital the next day.
The tragedy follows the demise of Check cricketer Phillip Hughes in 2014, who was struck within the neck by a ball whereas batting in a Sheffield Defend sport for South Australia on the Sydney Cricket Floor.
Like many younger cricketers, the sport was in Ben’s blood after he was first launched to the game when his father took him to play ‘little blasters’ with a few mates.
‘He used to play Friday evening, Saturday afternoon, Sunday. That is why he had three golf equipment – he beloved it,’ his father mentioned.
Mr Austin mentioned he’d do something to swap locations along with his son who had a full life forward of him.
‘Simply to listen to Benny’s voice once more, I would do something, I would surrender every thing, I would swap locations with him,’ he mentioned.
‘He beloved Defend and Check cricket, and the Vics and Tassie boys doing (a tribute), he would have been stoked, and the truth that I’ve bought a smile on this s**t time and it feels dangerous that I am smiling, however he would have beloved this.
Associates pay tribute to Ben Austin on the nets the place he died this week
Ben additionally had a ardour for AFL and loved enjoying and umpiring
‘And that is why the sport’s stunning, I believe solely cricket can do that, truthfully.’
As tears rolled out of his eyes, Mr Austin took his son’s cap off his head and touched the logo.
‘It is his hat. He solely performed the three video games,’ he mentioned.
Ben was a sports activities nut who additionally beloved AFL and was eager to run a marathon.
His father mentioned sport would have performed a giant function in the remainder of his life.
‘He needed to be a boundary umpire, be a PE instructor, and possibly get as excessive as he might in his cricket or AFL,’ Mr Austin mentioned.
His major faculty, Waverley Meadows in Wheelers Hill, the place he was faculty captain in 2020, paid tribute to a ‘sort, respectful, fashionable and much-loved scholar’.
‘Our neighborhood has misplaced a very nice younger one that was creating right into a nice younger grownup – a real testomony to his mother and father – and his loss can be felt by our college for a few years to return,’ the varsity mentioned.
Aussie cricket nice Merv Hughes mentioned Ben’s demise would have been felt throughout the nation.
‘It does not matter what stage of cricket you play, there’s at all times an opportunity that one thing like this occurs,’ he advised reporters.
‘Proper throughout Australia and all through the world, little doubt individuals can be pondering of him.’
At Friday evening’s T20 match between Australia and India on the MCG, a second’s silence was noticed for Ben as gamers from each groups and officers wore black armbands.
