The former Auckland all-rounder has lived in Dunedin for the past three years while she studied commerce.
She graduates in December, but has made the decision to stay and play for the Sparks.
The 21-year-old right-hander got a taste of what it would be like to join the side last summer.
‘‘It was a lot of different things, I think,’’ she said when asked why she had made the decision to transfer now and not earlier.
‘‘I trained during the preseason with the Sparks last season, even though I was still playing for the Hearts.
‘‘Craig [Cumming, Sparks coach] nicely let me tag along and train with them.
‘‘I wasn't quite in their environment but kind of got a look at it and really thought it was a good environment.
‘‘And it was kind of the opportunities as well, with how my last season went with Auckland.
‘‘I knew a few of the girls here already ... so yeah, I had a chat to Craig and then decided to do it.’’
Browning, who represented New Zealand at under-19 level, has played 12 list-A games and 12 T20s for Auckland, but is yet to find her feet.
She has previously batted at the top of the order, but is working on her offspin, and will bat in the middle for the Sparks.
‘‘I mean, I love batting and I want to push for a top-order spot. But at the moment I'll be kind of middle order and hopefully bowling a bit as well.’’
Cumming believes Browning will be a nice fit for Otago and she has huge potential.
‘‘She's a talented all-rounder, a really clean striker of the ball and she bowls offspin,’’ Cumming said.
‘‘She is a really good athlete and I think she's got the skills to become a White Fern, so we're really excited to have her as part of our group.
‘‘Hopefully she enjoys the freedom that playing for the Sparks brings and the confidence that the players give her because, if she's a confident cricketer and playing with freedom, she can bring real X-factor.’’
Browning joins other newly contracted Sparks players Harriett Cuttance, Izzy Parry and Saffron Wilson in the squad.
Wilson forced her way on to the contract list after plundering a century against the Central Hinds in Invercargill late last year.
She smashed 15 fours on her way to 109 from 97 balls.
Cuttance, 21, has been on the fringe of the side for a few years. The medium-pacer played one list-A game for the side two years ago and it was a rather memorable match.
It was the 2021-22 final and she picked up the valuable wicket of Wellington opener Rebecca Burns for four. The Sparks went on to win by 138 runs.
Parry is returning from a knee injury and is unavailable for the opening round games against Canterbury in Rangiora this weekend. She is another all-rounder with a lot of potential.
Star batter Suzie Bates will miss the first four games. She is with the Hobart Hurricanes in the Women’s Big Bash League.
But fellow White Ferns Eden Carson and Hayley Jensen are available, as is the newly nationally contracted wicketkeeper Polly Inglis, who had an impressive season for the Sparks last summer.
She helped the Sparks defeat Wellington in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield final last season with an undefeated 35 from 39 balls, and was the competition’s second leading scorer with 324 runs at an average of 54.
Former White Fern Felicity Robertson is another key player in the lineup, notching more than 300 runs in the competition as well.
Bowling-wise, the Sparks will lean on Emma Black who snaffled 24 wickets at an average of 11.58.
That was six more than anyone else managed, and she must be close to getting an opportunity at international level too.
Otago Sparks squad for 2024-25:
Emma Black, Caitlin Blakely, Anna Browning, Harriet Cuttance, Chloe Deerness, Olivia Gain, Bella James, Louisa Kotkamp, Issy Parry, Felicity Robertson, Molly Loe, PJ Watkins, Saffron Wilson, Suzie Bates, Hayley Jensen, Polly Inglis, Eden Carson.
