Christian claims rare hat-trick

Sri Lanka entered this match with their fate in their own hands and it turns out those are pretty safe hands: not even a hat-trick from Daniel Christian could prevent Sri Lanka from winning the last qualifying match at the MCG, and proceeding to the tri-series' finals. That meant Christian, who collected a career-best 5 for 31, became only the fourth bowler after Shahadat Hossain, Shane Bond and Lasith Malinga to pick up an ODI hat-trick in a defeat. He was the fourth Australia bowler overall and the first since Brett Lee (2003 World Cup) to pick up an ODI hat-trick.

Christian was mobbed by his team-mates after completing the feat, which began when Thisara Perera skied a ball and was taken at deep midwicket by Michael Hussey, who caught the ball inside play, tossed it up before he fell over the rope and completed the catch after stepping back in. The ball had gone so high that the batsmen had crossed twice, leaving the new man Sachithra Senanayake on strike instead of the established Lahiru Thirimanne.

Senanayake was lbw first ball and replays indicated the ball would have gone on to hit leg stump. The same could not have been said for the next delivery. Rod Tucker raised his finger to give Nuwan Kulasekara lbw but the ball appeared to be sliding down leg side and replays confirmed it was a poor decision. Christian didn't care. It was a hat-trick, and they are rare.