The 24-year-old underwent emergency surgery while on holiday in Hawaii and is now in hospital in Brisbane

South Australia and Melbourne Renegades keeper-batter Josie Dooley is facing a significant health battle after suffering a stroke while on post-season holiday in Hawaii last month.

Dooley, 24, underwent emergency surgery before being airlifted from Hawaii to her family’s home town of Brisbane last week where she remains in hospital.

The popular and promising young cricketer, whose older brother Patrick has represented Queensland, Tasmania and Hobart Hurricanes, suffered the stroke as a result of hydrocephalus.

The condition is caused by an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles (cavities) deep within the brain.

Dooley’s immediate prognosis is unknown and in a statement released by the South Australian Cricket Association today her family has asked for privacy.

“South Australian Women’s and Melbourne Renegades player Josie Dooley is currently undergoing treatment following a serious medical incident while on holiday in Hawaii,” the statement says.

“On 15 April Josie was on the Hawaiian island of Kauai when she suffered a stroke as a result of hydrocephalus and was required to be air lifted to Honolulu to receive urgent neurosurgical treatment.

“Following surgery, Josie remained in the neurosciences ICU of the Queen’s Hospital in Honolulu for 18 days before progressing to a neurosurgical ward where she remained for a further 12 days.

“Once she was fit to fly, Josie was medically evacuated to her hometown of Brisbane where she was readmitted to hospital.

“Josie is making progress in her recovery and would like to thank her family, friends and teammates for their love and support over this challenging time.

“The Dooley family request privacy at this time.”

Dooley and her SA and Renegades teammate Emma de Broughe had also arranged a flying visit to India following the completion of the previous Australia summer, where the pair were aiming to undergo a week or so of training to hone their respective games in vastly different sub-continent conditions.

A former Australian under-16 representative, Dooley earned senior national honours in 2017 when she was named in the Governor-General’s XI captained by Nicole Bolton that played England at Sydney’s Drummoyne Oval in 2017.

She was part of Australia’s under-19 squad that toured South Africa in 2018, an Australia A outfit that played a series of one-day and T20 matches in India later that year and also subsequent tours to New Zealand and England.

Dooley made her senior debut for Queensland in the Women’s National Cricket League in 2018, and for Brisbane Heat in the WBBL the following summer.

But with Australia keeper-batter Beth Mooney ensconced in that role for Queensland and the Heat, Dooley switched to the Renegades in 2019 and to South Australia for the 2020-21 WNCL season in the search for greater opportunities.

The right-hander scored her maiden WNCL century (116no from 112 balls) against Tasmania that summer, and became a pivotal part of the SA line-up that reached consecutive grand finals in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Away from cricket, Dooley has been a passionate surfer which saw her head to Hawaii for an end-of-season break.