Few players in the women’s game bring the athletic pedigree of Emma de Broughe — a former national-level hockey talent who has transformed herself into one of Australia’s most exciting young cricketing prospects. Born on 6 September 2000 in Adelaide, de Broughe grew up excelling in multiple sports, splitting her early years between state-level cricket and representing South Australia in hockey, even earning selection in Australia’s Under-18 Futures and Youth Olympics squads.

Her transition to cricket began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the sporting break pushed her to focus fully on the game she believed could take her further. It didn’t take long for South Australia to realise what they had: a powerful, technically tidy opening batter with elite movement, sharp reflexes, and a competitor’s mindset honed from years of high-performance hockey.

De Broughe earned her first South Australian Scorpions contract in 2019–20, following standout performances at Sturt Cricket Club and strong national pathway showings. Her growth since then has been steady and impressive. She broke through with a maiden WNCL century in the 2022–23 season, a defining moment that also saw her claim the Lauren Ebsary Award for the Scorpions’ best young player.

Her 2023–24 campaign elevated her further: consistent runs, improved strike rotation, and maturity at the top of the order culminated in one of Australian cricket’s top youth honours — the Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year at the 2024 Australian Cricket Awards. It was official recognition that de Broughe had arrived as one of the country’s most promising long-term batting options.

Her form didn’t go unnoticed in the WBBL either. The Melbourne Renegades first brought her in as a replacement player during WBBL|09, and after another strong domestic season, they locked her in with a full contract for WBBL|11 (2025–26). For the Renegades, she brings reliability at the top, strong back-foot play, and the kind of athleticism that immediately upgrades their fielding unit.

Now fully committed to cricket — though proud of her achievements as a dual-sport athlete — de Broughe is entering the phase where her talent, discipline, and experience begin to merge. With South Australia investing in her as a cornerstone of their batting group and the Renegades giving her a platform on the national stage, she’s shaping as one of the most rounded and exciting top-order players to watch in coming seasons.

(As of November 2025)