Ben Austin died in a cricketing tragedy. His parents Jace and Tracey blame no-one as they speak out for the first time

By Mike Lorigan and Melissa Polimeni, ABC

Photo: ABC / Ferntree Cricket Club

Sitting on the boundary at his youngest son's cricket match, Jace Austin admits his relationship with the sport has changed.

"To say I watch it the same? No, definitely not," Jace said.

In late October, his eldest son, Ben, died after an accident at cricket training in Melbourne's east.

The 17-year-old was batting in the practice nets with his teammates at the Wally Tew Reserve in Ferntree Gully, when he was struck in the neck with a cricket ball.

Ben was rushed to hospital where he was put on life support but died two days later on 30 October.

"When it first happened, I never wanted to see a game of cricket or go to a cricket net ever again, ever," Jace told the ABC's 7.30 in an exclusive interview.

Photo: ABC

"But then, the next morning, I woke up, whether it was through Benny or through just a feeling I got, I said, 'no, I have to … that's not fair'. It had nothing to do with the game. Benny loved it that much."

A medical examiner's report, seen by 7.30, found Ben died from an intracranial haemorrhage caused by a traumatic injury to the left side of his neck.

The fatal ball was thrown by one of Ben's teammates using a 'cricket thrower' also known as a 'side-arm' or 'wanger', a training tool used in cricket clubs across the country to throw practice balls to batters.

"Cricket wasn't at fault here … it was just a pure accident.