The withdrawal of Andy Murray through whiplash was a pain in the neck for Great Britain as the home side lost their Davis Cup showdown with Israel 3-2 at Eastbourne yesterday.

It was a day for domestic heroes and British captain Jeremy Bates almost found one in Jamie Delgado who volunteered to replace injured No. 1 Murray for the first reverse singles with the visitors 2-1 in front from the first two days.

Lion-hearted Delgado knew defeat would mean Britain would lose the European/African Zone Group One tie and plunge them into a relegation play-off in the Ukraine in two months.

Tears welled in Delgado's eyes when he suffered a 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 2-6, 6-3 defeat after being a break up in the deciding set against Noam Okun.

It was his second five-set loss in 24 hours after he and Murray had been pipped by World No. 7 pair Andy Ram and Jonathan Elrich.

Delgado said: "I'm unbelievably disappointed. I put everything out there and it just wasn't enough in the end. I can't think of two days like it before for me.

"I played well at Wimbledon (winning one match) but I think Davis Cup is harder. When I look back I will be happy. I proved to myself I can go out and perform very well. It has given me confidence."

Bates said: "Jamie immediately stepped up and wanted to play when Andy couldn't."

Murray wore a neck brace from his injury sustained in the doubles while watching on the sidelines and Britain braced themselves for what seemed close to a mission impossible against an Israeli side looking for revenge after Bates and Co beat them in Tel Aviv 16 months ago.

With Murray fit it looked tough enough. Even if he had seen off Okun, Britain would still have had to rely on one of the team's lesser lights for victory in the second.

But Delgado almost climbed the mountain. He could count on the support of Murray and the rest of his team along with a vociferous crowd.

Yet what mattered was his own mental strength. He had lost all four of his previous Davis Cup singles before the start of the tie, his first in six years.

The 29-year-old had stayed aggressive throughout the doubles yet cracks appeared as he gifted the opening set to Okun. He had broken back only to concede his own serve for a second time largely due to a hat-trick of double faults.

Delgado's head remained up in the second but he struggled with his first serve which was Okun's most potent weapon.

The Brit's brittle serve, also a weakness in the doubles, was broken in the third game of the second set but he gave himself a window of opportunity by breaking back in the sixth. He held three break points thanks to two net cords and a dubious line call. But he failed to convert any of them and Okun went on to go two sets up.

Delgado retained his focus and looked fired up and confident as he took a grip of the third set, displaying impressive play, and broke Okun for a 4-2 lead.

He squandered four set points as his opponent broke back to force a tie break.

Delgado maintained his concentration in the shoot out. He earned his fifth set point with a glorious forehand crosscourt pass from the baseline and then took it.

Buoyed by his success, Delgado tore the tiring Okun's serve apart and broke it twice to level the match.

He was on the crest of a wave and broke Okun early in the deciding set. But he was, in turn, broken twice and his opponent celebrated overall victory with team-mates after three hours 40 minutes of tension and drama.

Alan Mackin reduced the deficit by beating Dekel Valzter 6-2, 6-1.

Bates said: "There were frustrations with what happened to Andy and Greg Rusedski being injured before the tie but everybody who played gave everything.

"I couldn't ask for more. It's been a privilege to be their captain. I'm enormously proud of them. They put their heart and soul into it.

"If that is what British tennis is about we are all right. The Ukraine will be another challenge."

Murray has pulled out of this week's event in Los Angeles and will have a scan on his neck today.

His mum Judy said: "Andy had a sleepless night and was in a lot of pain but we hope it is not going to prove too serious."