Young Australian cricketer dies after being hit by ball

A promising young Australian cricketer has died after being struck by a ball, with his local club saying Thursday they were "absolutely devastated".

Ben Austin, 17, was reportedly facing an automatic bowling machine in the nets with a helmet on before a Twenty20 game in Melbourne on Tuesday when he was hit in the head and neck area.

He was rushed to hospital in critical condition and died Wednesday.

"We are absolutely devastated by the passing of Ben, and the impacts of his death will be felt by all in our cricket community," the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club said in a statement.

Austin was an emerging bowler and batter, considered by his club as a "star cricketer, great leader and an awesome young man".

Deaths in cricket remain rare.

The most recent high-profile one in Australia came in 2014 when test star Phillip Hughes was killed when hit in the neck by a ball during a domestic Sheffield Shield game.

His death stunned Australia and the world cricket community, sparking an outpouring of grief and ushering in stronger protocols around concussion and the advent of better player safety equipment.