Britain show fighting spirit

After the first day's play, Britain are level with Lithuania in their first round Davis Cup, Euro / Africa Group II zonal clash in Vilnius.

For that, John Lloyd, the British captain, can thank a fighting performance from his two inexperienced singles player and if the team is to survive to contest another tie in the group, the doubles pairing of Colin Fleming and Ken Skupski will have show what they are made of in the Saturday's doubles rubber.

Debutant James Ward got Britain off to a flying start, crusing to a 6-4,6-2,6-4 win over the Lithuanian number two, Laurynas Grigelis, ranked 521, while Dan Evans took the hosts top player to five sets before conceding the second point.

Ward, the 23-year-old son of a London cabbie, victory was the first win in a live rubber for Britain by anyone other than Tim Henman, Greg Rusedski or Andy Murray in 13 years, and was just the lift required if the team is to avoid an embarrassing defeat.

Unfortunately, Evans was unable to keep the momentum going as he went down 6-1 4-6 7-6(5) 3-6 6-3 in his first five-set match to former world junior champion Ricardas Berankis to leave the tie finely balanced going into Saturday's doubles.

Ward was well satisfied with his victory. "It was a big win. Obviously, your first Davis Cup match is always a big win, and I'm glad I got through it.

"He had played Davis Cup before but I'm confident in my own ability and I'm serving well, which on a fast court like this is tough to break at any time, so I'm very happy."

The Briton, world ranked 250, broke his opponent in the ninth game and though Grigelis fought back, he repeated the feat in the opening game of the second set and finally converted a break point in the seventh game before serving out the match.

Not unexpectedly in the second rubber, Evans, ranked 252, found himself in trouble from the opening moments losing his serve in his second and third service games to go behind 1-4 to Berankis, the world no. 198.

In fact the Lithuanian was barely tested as he claimed the first set courtesy of a third successive break but when Evans held his first service game in the second set, the fight back started and he in turn stormed into a 5-2 lead where he squandered three set points and dropping his serve on a double fault.

However, Evans fought back from 40-0 down in his next service game to eventually take the set - his first in Davis Cup after two straight-sets losses on his debut against Poland last year.

He made an early push in the third set with the score at 2-2, breaking his opponent to love, but he surrendered his advantage in the very next game.

The Lithuanian saved three break points at 4-4, and Evans had to do the same to take the set to a tie-break, only to lose 7-5 as Berankis moved ahead again.

Evans wasted little time in hitting back, breaking to go 3-1 up in the fourth. His opponent instantly returned the favour but a double fault handed the Briton a 5-3 lead and he promptly squared the match.

But it was Berankis who held his nerve in the final set, breaking Evans twice to take it 6-3 despite dropping his own serve at 4-2 and despite some battling play form the Briton.

Evans was upbeat after his battling performance and is looking forward to a potentially-decisive final-rubber clash with Grigelis on Sunday.

The 19-year-old told said: "Wardy played well this morning and I played well, I just didn't get the win.

"I knew he was good, I played with him in juniors. I came forward well but just didn't get the break when I needed it at the end. I just need to think about Sunday now."