A sombre ambiance enveloped the Melbourne Cricket Floor (MCG) ahead of the 2nd T20I between India and Australia, as gamers from each groups, together with match officers and MCG workers, wore black armbands and stood for a one-minute silence in reminiscence of 17-year-old cricketer Ben Austin.
The tragic death of the young Australian got here earlier within the week after he was struck on the neck throughout a coaching session at Ferntree Gully Cricket Membership in Melbourne. Regardless of carrying a helmet, Austin was not carrying neck safety, a element that tragically echoed the lack of Phillip Hughes in 2014. The incident has shocked the cricket group, with tributes flowing from across the globe, honoring the teenager’s quick however promising profession.
AUS vs IND, 2nd T20I: A unified tribute to Ben Austin throughout Australia and past
The MCG tribute adopted comparable acts of respect throughout different cricket codecs. Indian and Australian ladies’s groups had already paid tribute in the course of the ICC Girls’s World Cup semi-final in Navi Mumbai on Thursday, carrying black armbands in reminiscence of Austin. On Friday, in Sheffield Protect matches, gamers from Victoria and Tasmania honored {the teenager}, pausing for a second of silence earlier than persevering with their match at St Kilda’s Junction Oval.
The tribute was echoed in Perth as gamers from Western Australia and South Australia additionally noticed a one-minute silence. Exterior the Ferntree Gully Cricket Membership, flowers and cricket bats have been positioned as memorials to Austin, turning the situation right into a touching tribute website. The tragedy has sparked renewed requires enhanced on-field security measures, particularly regarding the usage of neck safety, as cricketers are reminded of the dangers they face, no matter their age or stage.
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AUS vs IND, 2nd T20I: Emotional tribute at MCG as crowd falls silent for Austin
The MCG crowd fell silent on Friday evening, becoming a member of the emotional tribute to Austin simply forward of the AUS vs IND T20I. The 17-year-old, who tragically handed away whereas coaching on Tuesday, was honored with a second of silence earlier than the match. Austin’s picture appeared on the massive display screen, and his saggy blue cap was positioned on the turf, additional personalizing the tribute.
Following the silence, his favourite tune was performed, with representatives from his golf equipment, Eildon Park and Ferntree Gully, accompanying the gamers on the sector. Austin was imagined to be batting for Eildon Park on the very second his tribute was being held on the MCG, a poignant reminder of what was misplaced. The tribute not solely honored {the teenager}’s reminiscence but additionally underscored the deep connection throughout the cricketing group, coming collectively to mourn the lack of a vibrant younger expertise.
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