Australia paceman Mitchell Starc continued his fine form ahead of the Ashes, taking a Sheffield Shield hat-trick on Monday.

The left-armer removed Jason Behrendorff, David Moody and Simon Mackin for his hat-trick for New South Wales against Western Australia at Hurstville Oval.

Starc finished with figures of 4-56 as his team took a 94-run first-innings lead.

The speedster is coming off a 10-wicket haul against South Australia and his form will give Australia further confidence ahead of the first Test against England beginning in Brisbane on November 23.