Marsh punt pays off: Australian coach

Like most, Darren Lehmann loves it when a punt pays off.

So the Australian coach was rapt when much-maligned Shaun Marsh played the decisive hand in the third Test win against New Zealand.

"Really pleased for him, considering he has copped a lot in the press - that's by not performing, I suppose," Lehmann told ABC radio after Marsh's composed 49 helped Australia successfully chase their 187-run target.

"You take a risk with quality players sometimes. We have done that.

"He only had that one Test in England on a pretty green wicket, so to come out and play really well in a high-pressure situation ... is great for him."

Marsh was on his sixth coming to Test cricket but captain Steve Smith didn't consider it to be the left-hander's last chance.

"I never saw it as that," Smith told reporters post-match.

"It was fantastic for Shaun to get an opportunity, I think he has been batting extremely well.

"Obviously disappointing for Usman (Khawaja) to have got injured in the last match after he was batting extremely well as well.

"But Shaun has come in and done a terrific job.

"I said before the Test match that I think he's best suited to number five and he showed his class, the way he played."