Great Britain are one win away from the Davis Cup semi-finals after Andy and Jamie Murray clinched a crucial doubles victory over France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Nicolas Mahut.

Andy Murray was originally not scheduled to play the doubles rubber but the world number three justified his inclusion as the brothers put on a gutsy display to win 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7/5) 6-1.

The victory gives Britain a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five tie at Queen's, meaning they need only win one of Sunday's two singles matches to reach their first semi-final since 1981.

"We played an unbelievably high level match against a top team," Andy Murray said on court afterwards.

"It was an absolutely fantastic atmosphere - to play and represent your country with your brother in a match like this is very special."

His brother added: "It was brilliant, the crowd were amazing, twice as loud as yesterday and we absolutely loved it.

"Thanks to the support who cheered from start to finish and hopefully we're in a good position to win the tie now."

The Murrays had not played together since losing at Indian Wells in 2013 but, with the match firmly in the balance after the opening day of singles, captain Leon Smith threw in his grand slam champion ahead of Dominic Inglot, who has only recently recovered from a knee injury.

The decision looks to have proven a good one although last year's quarter-final against Italy serves as a warning against complacency, when Andy Murray partnered Colin Fleming to a doubles win before losing to Fabio Fognini in the singles a day later.

Murray is on his last legs after his Wimbledon semi-final defeat to Roger Federer just eight days ago, but he has never lost to either Gilles Simon or Richard Gasquet on grass and will be confident of sealing victory on the final day.

After all the discussion surrounding the British number one's inclusion, he was in fact the weak link for much of the opening set as France started the sharper of the two pairs.

Andy Murray lost his serve in the very first game as the brothers struggled for cohesion, with one high ball comically dangling between the duo while they worked out who should take the shot.

The early break proved decisive for the French pair, who served out with ease, before a tactical switch saw Jamie Murray take the serve at the start of the second set.

The adjustment worked, as Mahut missed a simple volley and forehand to concede a break point which Britain converted, as Andy Murray made a well-judged challenge to prove Tsonga's ground-shot long.

Jamie Murray held to love to move 3-1 up, and as 'We are family' blared out around the ground, it felt like the momentum had noticeably shifted, with the Britons serving out to level up.

The third set was the closest of the four but the drama did not unfold until the 11th game, when Andy Murray became the latest victim of a slippery surface at Queen's and needed five minutes of treatment on a sore hip before play could resume.

With no breaks, the set was decided in a tie-break, which was largely dictated by serve until a superb Andy Murray return proved too strong for the diving Mahut and gave Britain a two sets to one advantage.

Andy Murray bounded into the changeover raging with delight to the roar of the home crowd, and the brothers maintained their charge into the fourth set when they simply outclassed their floundering opponents.

Three breaks of serve put the French pair out of sight before a Jamie Murray smash confirmed victory in two hours and 49 minutes to leave Britain on the brink of the semi-finals.