“Early last week, my little cousin Benny passed away unfortunately in a cricket incident,” Austin told Seven.
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“My family is here. My uncle and my cousins are here today. I was just thinking of him. I know if he was here, he would be loving it. It’s like a little tribute to him.”
In a post-match interview, Blues coach Mathew Buck said what happened to the Austin family was a tragedy.
“As a whole playing group, wider club, we’ve got around her as best we can and put in the supports we need, and we are lucky are well-resourced to be able to help,” he said. “It’s a credit to Mia. She’s been a real professional throughout and continued to train at a really high level.”
“She’s been out of the team for a number of weeks, but she’s been training well and took her opportunity with both hands today, and she took her moment as well which I was really proud to see.”
Ben’s life was cut short after he was hit in the neck by an accidental full toss while training late last month.
Jessica Good hugs her teammate Mia Austin (wearing No.22) after her emotional goal for Carlton.Credit: AFL Photos
Members of the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club gathered at Wally Tew Reserve on Thursday for training, for the first time since the young cricketer’s death last week.
Coach Josh Henry paid tribute to Ben and the team held a minute’s silence for the 17-year-old by the club nets before training.
Putting their arms around one another, they encircled a tribute to Ben – his initials spray-painted onto the local oval along with his cap number: 512.
With Roy Ward
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