Eric James Brotherton (born 7 May 1938, Ventersburg, Orange Free State, South Africa) is a former South African cricketer and squash player.
He made his first-class debut in 1959-60, opening the batting for Eastern Province with his captain Geoff Dakin and scoring 215 runs at an average of 23.88 with most of his innings exceeding 20 but with a top score of 33. In 1960-61, when Eastern Province had their best season in the Currie Cup, finishing second with four wins from six matches, Brotherton scored 336 runs at 30.54. He also played a match for South African Universities, hitting 164 not out, the record score for the Universities, against Western Province, putting on 227 for the fourth wicket with Colin Bland.
After a two-season gap he played for North Eastern Transvaal in 1963-64, leading the team's aggregates and averages with 308 runs at 30.80. He captained North Eastern Transvaal in 1964-65. When North Eastern Transvaal won Section B of the Currie Cup in 1965-66 he made 376 runs at 41.77, scoring 111 in the first match of the season. He played on with less success until 1969-70.
In the 1960s he played squash for South Africa.