‘Shouldn’t be happening’: Coaches, parents cautious after junior cricket tragedy

5 days ago 5

As cricket coach Hamish Reynolds perfects the bat swings of his under-11s team at St Leonards on Friday, a larger issue looms.

Reynolds is 19, two years older than Ben Austin, who died when a cricket ball struck his neck while practising at his local nets at Melbourne’s Ferntree Gully on Tuesday night.

Hamish Reynolds of Cricket Insight Academy in North Sydney training kids in North Sydney.

“My first thought was, am I making sure that I’m practising safely enough? That my kids wear their helmets, gloves and pads?”

Reynolds does not believe what happened to Austin was a freak accident.

“The news highlights it could happen to anyone,” he said. “These things shouldn’t be happening [and] should be recognised by the wider community.”

His brother, Tim Reynolds, 25, said: “To think that could happen to one of our kids scares the hell out of me.

“For us as coaches, it’s about how we teach as safely as possible.

“Making sure kids come out of the nets before someone starts bowling … kids from age nine only being able to train with hard balls and using appropriate gear.”

Austin was struck in the neck by the ball delivered with a sidearm “wanger” – a handheld ball-throwing device. He was wearing a helmet, but reportedly not a neck protector. The accident drew parallels with the death of Phil Hughes, who was hit in the neck by a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match a decade ago.

A coroner’s report into Hughes’ death recommended mandating neck guards to protect players. In 2023, Cricket Australia made wearing the guards a formal instruction for players representing Australia.

Neck protectors are strongly recommended, but not mandated for community and junior cricket.

Under-11s cricketers from North Sydney and Lane Cove playing at Naremburn Park on Saturday morning.

Carla Lynan, after learning of Austin’s death, tried to buy a neck guard for her oldest son, who plays in an under-15s cricket competition. But the store didn’t sell the brand that fitted his helmet.

“The neck guards don’t come standard,” Lynan said as she watched one of her younger sons play his under-11s match at Naremburn Park in Sydney’s north on Saturday morning.

“At this age, I’m not as concerned [about neck guards],” she said. “The ball is fast but not as fast and dangerous as the older grades.”

Lynan said she wanted to know exactly what happened to Austin so she could educate her three boys about how to avoid a similar injury.

Mother Carla Lynan, with her dog, Rusty, said she wanted more information about last week’s tragedy so she could educate her three cricket-playing boys.

“I was going to get one of those sidearm throwers … [but what happened to Austin] made me a bit more cautious,” she said.

Simon Mathewson, who was also watching his son, Harry, play under-11s at Naremburn, said neck guards weren’t on his radar before news of Austin’s death.

“I can’t imagine what his family is going through. It’s horrendous … a freak accident,” Mathewson said.

“Mandating helmets is good, but you can’t mandate everything,” he added, noting there was “always an element of risk” and suggesting neck guards should be strongly advised “so long as people are aware of the risks, just as you are about crossing the road”.

Dad Simon Matthewson said there was always an element of risk when playing cricket.

“At 17 to 18 [years old] I think it’s up to individual players,” he said.

Also at the match, grandmother Karen, who asked that her surname not be used, said her first reaction to hearing of Austin’s death was incredible sadness for his family. Her second thought was: “What does this mean for the safety of my grandsons and my son?”

“I understand that in training, equipment is not always enforced, particularly at some of the younger levels, and with young grandsons, that is a concern,” she said.

Karen, pictured with grandson, Owen, said her adult son wore a neck guard. She would like more uniform safety measures.

Karen’s adult son wears a neck guard. “I hope that they start to enforce guards at a younger age,” she said.

“Sometimes I think it shouldn’t be a personal choice. When it comes to safety, some things are non-negotiable.

“You don’t want to rule people out,” she said, responding to concerns that the additional cost of the neck guards could be a barrier for some would-be players, “but you don’t want people to die doing what they love – playing sport.”

Karen was watching her grandson, Owen, play in the Under-11s match.

“For generations, our family have gotten so much joy out of this game. My grandparents, my parents, now me, my son and my grandsons,” she said.

A spokesman for Cricket NSW said the organisation was “devastated by the loss of Ben Austin and extends its deepest sympathies to his family, friends, the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club and the entire Victorian cricket community”.

“At the right time, we will join Cricket Australia and all state and territory associations to understand the details of this tragic accident and any actions that may eventuate,” the spokesperson said.

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