{
    "id": "180777",
    "author": "26",
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    "title": "Young Australian Cricketer Ben Austin Dies After Being Hit By Ball",
    "lang": "en",
    "series": "1",
    "cup_year": "2025",
    "article_type": "General",
    "excerpt": "A promising young Australian cricketer has died after being struck by a ball, with his local club saying Thursday they were \"absolutely devastated\". Ben Austin, 17, was reportedly facing an automatic ",
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    "editor1": "<p>A promising young Australian cricketer has died after being struck by a ball, with his local club saying Thursday they were &quot;absolutely devastated&quot;.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Ben Austin, 17, was reportedly facing an automatic bowling machine in the nets with a helmet on before a Twenty20 game in Melbourne on Tuesday when he was hit in the head and neck area.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>He was rushed to hospital in critical condition and died Wednesday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&quot;We are absolutely devastated by the passing of Ben, and the impacts of his death will be felt by all in our cricket community,&quot; the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club said in a statement.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Austin was an emerging bowler and batter, considered by his club as a &quot;star cricketer, great leader and an awesome young man&quot;.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Deaths in cricket remain rare.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Vale Ben Austin.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nCricket Australia is devastated at the passing of 17-year-old Melbourne cricketer Ben Austin following an accident while batting in the nets on Tuesday night. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zBifuqrrRG\">pic.twitter.com\/zBifuqrrRG<\/a><\/p>\r\n&mdash; Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CricketAus\/status\/1983740383889899617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 30, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>\r\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\r\n\r\n<p>The most recent high-profile one in Australia came in 2014 when Test star Phillip Hughes was killed when hit in the neck by a ball during a domestic Sheffield Shield game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5><b>Also Read: <\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/live-cricket-score\">LIVE Cricket Score<\/a><\/h5><p>His death stunned Australia and the world cricket community, sparking an outpouring of grief and ushering in stronger protocols around concussion and the advent of better player safety equipment.<br \/>\r\n&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n",
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    "created": "2025-10-30 09:27:34",
    "updated": "2025-10-30 09:27:34",
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    "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/young-australian-cricketer-ben-austin-dies-after-being-hit-by-ball-180777"
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