Australian all rounder Dan Christian secured the 31st one-day international hat-trick in a Tri-series match against Sri Lanka at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.

The 28-year-old, who made his international debut earlier this month, struck in the 44th over of Sri Lanka's innings to remove Thisara Perera, Sachithra Senanayake and Nuwan Kulasekera in successive balls.

Perera was caught for five at deep midwicket by Mike Hussey who threw the ball in the air as he felt himself falling over the boundary and jumped back over the rope to take the catch.

Senanayake played and missed a full, straight delivery and was adjudged lbw for a golden duck, as was Kulasekera on the next ball in similar circumstances to prompt wild celebrations from Christian and his team mates.

Christian was the fourth Australian to take a hat-trick in a 50-over international after Bruce Reid (1986), Anthony Stuart (1997) and Brett Lee (2003).