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Marsh 'speechless' watching Maxwell bat

Marsh full of praise for 'free spirit' Maxwell after blistering ODI knock

Mitchell Marsh says he was left "speechless" by Glenn Maxwell's match-sealing innings against the West Indies in Barbados, which propelled Australia into the ODI tri-series final and helped the Victorian snap a run of low scores that had led to his axing from the one-day side.

Maxwell had come back into Australia's XI for the final preliminary matches of the series at Kensington Oval after he'd been dumped for the previous two games, the first time he'd been axed since November 2014.

And the pressure the 27-year-old was feeling on his return was intensified when he strode to the crease to join Marsh late in Australia's must-win clash against the Windies with his side needing 63 runs from 50 balls to avoid being knocked out of the tournament.

Quick single: Australia advance to tri-series final

But Marsh only had to watch from the non-strikers’ end as his teammate bludgeoned the Windies bowlers for five fours and two sixes, including a switch hit into the Greenidge & Haynes Stand off the bowling of Sunil Narine, just an over after the spinner and almost bowled him with a big-turning off-break.

WATCH: Australia advance to tri-series final

Maxwell's late explosion of 46 not out from 26 balls helped Australia cruise to victory with an over to spare, while it also ended a run of five ODIs in which he'd been dismissed for single figures.

"I was literally speechless at the other end watching an innings like that," said Marsh, who rated his unbeaten 79 from 85 balls as one of the best performances of his career.

"Maxi's obviously had a lot of doubts and hasn't been in the greatest of form, but an innings like that tonight really shows why he's one of the first picked in this side.

"He's just so dangerous and he can win us games like that in a few overs. I'm really wrapped for him.

"He actually told me we would just take (Narine) for ones and next minute he's playing a reverse sweep for six. I absolutely loved it.

"Maxi's a free spirit, you've just got to let him go and do what he does. And when it comes off like that, it's unbelievable to watch."

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For Marsh, it was the second time this year he'd shown an unflappable temperament to steer his side through a difficult run chase away from home.

The allrounder posted a composed 69 not out in a victory over New Zealand in Wellington in February, an innings that came just two weeks after he posted his maiden international century, an unbeaten 102 in a loss to India at the SCG.

Speaking to cricket.com.au in Brisbane before this Qantas Tour of the West Indies, Marsh said those performances had given him the belief that he belonged at the top level after his confidence had been damaged by a Test record that still stands at just one half-century from 23 innings.

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And the 24-year-old said the conviction gained from the knock in Wellington helped him tonight, some 14,000 kilometres away on the outskirts of the Barbados capital Bridgetown.

WATCH: I was speechless at the other end: Marsh

"I think it just gives you a lot of confidence to really go out there and back your skill and your ability," he said.

"That innings (against NZ), I was batting with David Warner and he gave me a lot of great advice out in the middle, just to really back myself because I was coming off a duck in Auckland.

"He gave me a lot of confidence in myself and it's sort of just flowed from there in the one-day format.

"Anytime you can bat through an innings and be not out in a win and in a crucial chase like that, it's very satisfying.

"I've put in a lot of hard work. I haven't taken my opportunities in this series so it was really nice to get us over the line."

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Marsh's innings in Barbados came with the added responsibility of batting at No.5 in the order for just the third time in his career and having come to the crease inside the first 20 overs of Australia’s pursuit of 283 to win.

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Now boasting an average of 56.57 from 13 matches in 2016 and just 21 runs short of 1000 in his career, Marsh also wants to make the No.5 position his own just like Maxwell had done during Australia's World Cup win last year.

"I think it's a great position for me to bat in one-day cricket,” he said.

"It gives me a lot of time to get into my innings and obviously the more balls I face the easier it becomes at the end of an innings. Hopefully I can just keep contributing to this team.

"It was just a great win today."