Every cricket club has a Ben Austin.
The affable and talented youngster that uses the platform provided by community cricket to learn, experience and grow in a sporting and non-sporting setting.
A grin from ear to ear, an infectious personality and with a story to tell about the fun of last Saturday.
Austin had plenty of stories to tell already about this season, having played six games at various levels.
Victorian cricket was numbed by the 17-year-old’s death last week in a freak accident at the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club nets.
Pakenham is within 50 kilometres of the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club where the incident unfolded last Tuesday in front of several witnesses.
Undoubtedly, some within the Cardinia, Casey and Greater Dandenong communities will know or know of Austin.
Many more will weep.
The events that formed the backdrop of the tragedy occur at hundreds of different cricket clubs daily.
The familiarity of those circumstances makes the anguish more vivid.
Such an event provides a painful reminder of the impermanence of the seemingly permanent.
In winter, he was a star footballer.
He was interwoven into the fabric of Australia’s sporting culture.
Photos circling of Austin in recent days for older people evoke memories of their joyous sporting upbringing, with that relatable storyline tugging at the heartstrings.
‘It could have been me.’
The author of this story got to his cricket club last Tuesday set for a hauntingly similar evening to Austin.
A light net session involving throw downs and a sidearm mechanism while watching his local team play a t20 match.
The Australian men’s T20I team paid tribute to Austin at the MCG on Friday night with black arm bands and a minute silence, and organisations from as far as India and England felt his loss.
Several cricket clubs and individuals put their bats out to remember Austin.
Many clubs around the region posted their own tributes.
Casey Cardinia Cricket Association club Tooradin was one of the first across the state to pay their respects.
“Nothing like this should ever happen in sport and we are deeply saddened to hear of this news,” the statement read in part.
Dandenong District Cricket Association Club Lyndale, based in Noble Park, also posted a tribute, with Ben having represented the club in Under-14s.
“A talented cricketer with a promising career, his life ended doing what he loved,” the statement read in part.
Sympathies must also be extended to the Noble Park Football Club, with Ben’s father Jace a former reserves coach.
The shared grief highlighted the unity of sporting organisations.
There is a constant tussle for on-field and financial results which can overshadow that the beating heart of local sporting organisations is its people.
Community sport brings people together.
Cricket will go on without Austin, as he would want.
At the end of last season, Austin won the Ferntree Gully League perpetual trophy for juniors who show the correct attitude and dedication to playing the game in the right spirit in their representation of the association.
The material showing of respect that took place in some way at all level of cricket on Saturday was beautiful, touching and proved the power of sport.
But all who have felt Austin’s death should honour him by taking a leaf from his book and living their life with similar values.
Rest in Peace, Ben Austin.
