A 17-year-old Australian cricketer has died following a training accident in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.
Ben Austin was practising in the nets at Ferntree Gully on Tuesday afternoon when a ball from an automatic bowling machine struck him in the head or neck area.
The teenager was wearing protective headgear at the time of the incident. Emergency services arrived at the scene shortly before 5pm local time on Tuesday.
Austin was transported to Monash Children's Hospital in critical condition and placed on life support. He died on Wednesday, according to his cricket club's confirmation.
Ben Austin, 17, died in hospital on Wednesday
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Paramedics were dispatched to the Wally Tew Reserve shortly before 5pm local time on Tuesday.
According to Ringwood and District Cricket Association president Michael Finn, medical assistance was provided by those present at the ground until emergency services arrived.
The teenager was rushed to Monash Medical Centre in critical condition. Despite intensive medical intervention, Austin succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday.
The Ferntree Gully Cricket Club announced his death on Thursday. The incident occurred whilst Austin was warming up in the practice nets, facing deliveries from the bowling machine when the fatal blow struck him.
The Ferntree Gully Cricket Club expressed devastation at Austin's death, stating: "We are absolutely devastated by the passing of Ben, and the impacts of his death will be felt by all in our cricket community."
Local cricket association president Arnie Walters described Austin as "both talented and popular in local cricket."
Tributes have poured in after Ben Austin's tragic death
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He added: "I know how heavily this news will land across our community and we will provide any and all support we can to our clubs and cricket family."
The club extended sympathies to Austin's parents Jace and Tracey, and his brothers Cooper and Zach. Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll pledged support for students at Rowville Secondary College, where Austin studied.
The tragedy has evoked memories of Australian Test batsman Phillip Hughes, who died in November 2014 after being struck on the neck during a Sheffield Shield match in Sydney.
Hughes, 25, passed away two days after the incident whilst batting for South Australia.
His death prompted Cricket Australia to postpone a scheduled Test match against India and led to the introduction of new safety regulations for batting helmets in professional cricket.
A coroner's investigation ultimately found no one was to blame for Hughes' death.
Carroll acknowledged the lasting impact, stating: "This is a tragedy that will last many years for that local community."