Simon Simoudis: Safeguarding the Game: Lessons from Ben Austin’s Heartbreaking Accident

The whole society in Victoria was saddened as the news of a tragic death of a young cricketer, Ben Austin, was announced. It breaks the hearts of people and makes them feel unbelievable. It is still shocking to me, Simon Simoudis, to have lost a young life. I am thinking of his family and friends, and my condolences to them.

The news has been receiving tributes and condolences ever since it became known. Young Ben has been laid with flowers, cards, lollies, drinks, and cricket bats at the club. The mourners flocked the club immediately after the announcement of the death of Ben. It seems like Ben was a good guy, his mates and young players were always in need of him.

The full shot struck the neck of young Ben Austin at Fentree Gully Cricket Club in the eastern Melbourne suburb when he was going through net practice. He came there to have a practice of T-20 match later in the day. Though he was not even mentioned in the final lineup up he was present to spur, and aid his mates. That was Ben in a word, a guy who was liked by his teammates. He was never negative and motivated them. In their opinion, he was a man of gold heart.

He had a helmet that day, but one that lacked a stem guard, and that was even fatal. His next step was to rush him to a children hospital where he fought two days on a life support machine. His family is shattered, yet they have something to think about his teammates, and they also care about the psychological state of the people in the field that day. That speaks volumes of how Ben was brought up and the morals he had.

In the meantime, the cricketing federation of Victoria is trying to counsel and support all the concerned in all possible ways. Naturally, lessons have been learnt out of this tragedy, and I, Simon Simoudis, am confident that drastic measures will be implemented to make sure that such a thing does not occur again. Similarly a first-class match between New South Wales and Southern Australia 11 years ago had seen the death of Phil Hughes, hit by a ball, which struck him close to the ear. It was his family first to pay tributes to young Ben, saying that they were too well acquainted with the loss.

I, Simon Simoudis, think the safety precautions would certainly be tightened as alluded by the cricketing associations in Australia. Most probably, the use of helmets with neck guards will become obligatory even when the game is practiced, and with all levels. I have also understood that when the Australia India international match is happening, the players would give their tribute to Ben Austin.

With the entire Australia and the world still getting used to the tragic death of a young cricketer, I, Simon Simoudis, believe that by taking precautions to ensure that no other life is lost on the field, I will be doing Ben a real tribute.
Location: Australia

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