Australia vs India T20 LIVE: Capacity MCG crowd pays silent tribute to Ben Austin; action-packed start as India bats first against Australia

The devastated father of young cricketer Ben Austin says he would do anything to hear his son’s voice again.

The Austins visited the nets where the 17-year-old’s life was cut short after he was hit in the neck by an accidental full toss while training with a friend on Tuesday night.

“I thought I would never get back to there, but Benny would have wanted that,” Jace Austin said.

“Just wanted to get back to where he last stood and then the sun come through the clouds, and it was beautiful, just what we needed.”

Wearing his son’s cap and returning to the Ferntree Gully oval with his bat, Jace Austin said he wanted his boy to be remembered for his passion and love for sport.

“To hear his voice again, I’d do anything, I’d give up anything. Swap places with him, just to hear his voice again.”

Australian bowler Sean Abbott was among the people who have paid tribute to Ben at the Ferntree Gully nets earlier on Friday.

Abbott, sadly, was bowling when Phil Hughes died, so he has a clear understanding of the pain involved in this tragedy.

Abbott is in Melbourne with Australia’s Twenty20 side and is understood to have made a visit to Ferntree Gully this morning to pay his respects to Austin.

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