The former Mudgee cricketer will join the likes of legendary cricketer Shane Warne, Australian wicket-keeper Matthew Wade, former Australian Test player Rob Quiney and Sri Lankan paceman Lasith Malinga in the Melbourne squad.

Henry has gone from strength-to-strength since making his first class debut for NSW in October 2011 and now features regularly in the state team.

He has been in terrific form with the bat this season.

Despite scoring a duck on Wednesday in the Sheffield Shield match against Queensland at Canberra’s Manuka Oval, it was the left-handed top order batsman’s previous three knocks against Victoria that caught the eye of Stars head coach Greg Shipperd.

Henry made 78 and 81 not out in his two Shield digs against the Bushrangers at the SCG two weeks ago, and followed it up with a one-day domestic score of 61 off 72 balls.

Shipperd welcomed the addition of Henry to the squad, believing he is one of the up-and-comers of the game.

“The Stars are thrilled to have enticed emerging top-order opener Scott Henry to complement an already powerful batting list,” Shipperd said on the Melbourne Stars website.

“Scott, in a very quick time, has captured the attention of talent scouts with some quality performances in one-day and Shield cricket. 

“We believe Scott’s all-round abilities will be enhanced in our environment; rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s best on-and-off-field T20 experts will be a great experience for him.”

Henry was part of the Sydney Sixers squad who won the inaugural Big Bash League competition last season.

Although he did not play a match for the Sydney side, Shipperd has indicated the 23-year-old Mudgee boy could feature for the Stars. 

“It’s quite possible we may lose some players to international duties,” Shipperd said.

“We saw Henry as a brilliant option, an opportunity the Stars did not want to miss.

“His canny left-arm orthodox spinners could be vital should we achieve our Champions League ambitions.”

Henry is not the only former cricketer from the region to feature this season in the Big Bash League.

Former Gulgong, Mudgee and Tasmanian state cricketer Rhett Lockyear will play for the Sydney Thunder.

Lockyear played for the Hobart Hurricanes last season and played six games for the purple brigade. 

The Stars play the first game of the second Big Bash League season on Friday, December 7, against cross-town rivals the Renegades.

While Lockyear’s Thunder also play their archrivals the Sixers at the SCG on Saturday, December 8.