Thornton returns to spearhead Strikers in BBL|14

Henry Thornton is set to spearhead the Adelaide Strikers attack this summer and beyond after inking a new two-year deal to remain with the South Australian club.

Thornton, who famously claimed 5-3 in the Strikers' rout of Sydney Thunder for a then record-low of 15 in 2022, played a key role in the club's finals run in KFC BBL|13 after earning a recall halfway through the season.

The 27-year-old tearaway was brought into the Strikers side against Perth Scorchers on January 3 and played the final seven games of the campaign, collecting seven wickets to lead the pace attack alongside English recruits Jamie Overton and David Payne.

Adelaide Strikers BBL|14 squad (so far): James Bazley, Cameron Boyce, Jordan Buckingham, Brendan Doggett, Alex Ross, D'Arcy Short, Matt Short, Henry Thornton, Jake Weatherald

The Strikers – who are currently without a head coach for next season following Jason Gillespie's resignation – surged back from last to qualify for the BBL|13 finals with five straight victories before falling at the penultimate hurdle with a 54-run loss to eventual champions Brisbane Heat in the Challenger final.

Thornton has played 23 matches for the Strikers in three seasons after joining the club ahead of BBL|11, taking 36 wickets at an average of 18.63.

Strikers interim general manager of cricket, Shaun Williams, said Thornton was an integral member of the club, boosting their pace stocks alongside South Australian teammates Brendan Doggett and Jordan Buckingham, who signed his first Big Bash contract in May.

"Henry has had an electric few years at the Strikers and we are glad that will be continuing this season," Williams said.

"We can always rely on him to strike when he comes into the attack, and we are excited to see him in action on Adelaide Oval again."

The right-armer has been a prolific wicket-taker in white-ball cricket in recent years, marking his Australia A debut in September last year with a career-best seven-wicket haul against New Zealand A at Allan Border Field.

Originally from NSW, Thornton moved to Victoria in 2020 after one game with Sydney Sixers in BBL|06. He became a regular in Victoria's 50-over side in 2021-22, winning the Dean Jones Medal as one-day player of the season before switching to SA in the off-season, where he finished as the state's leading bowler in the One-Day Cup the following summer with 14 wickets.

"South Australia has been my home now for three years, so it was an easy choice to stay here and continue on with the Strikers," Thornton said.

"I've loved my time with this team, I love playing on the best Oval in the world and I'm excited to do it again in front of our great fans in BBL|14 and BBL|15."

Thornton's re-signing comes after his accomplice from the record rout of the Thunder, Wes Agar, was traded to the Western Sydney club in an exchange involving a swap of second round draft picks.

The Strikers will have picks 5, 11, 20 and 29 in September's BBL|14 Draft, improving their second-round position by two spots in the Agar trade.

They will have retention rights over Rashid Khan, Jamie Overton, David Payne and Adam Hose should those players nominate for the draft. They can also sign one international to a multi-year deal prior to the BBL|14 Draft under the league's new contracting mechanism for overseas players.