ONE brother came up short.

He expects the other to push Great Britain over the line in the Davis Cup against the USA. One Murray lost, the other could yet bring home a historic triumph.

The Emirates Arena witnessed another dramatic day in the world group tie as Team GB were foiled in their attempt to close out the match after gaining two victories in the singles on Friday by winning the doubles rubber.

But the makeshift pairing of Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot were beaten in five sets by Mike and Bob Bryan, the world No 1 pairing, after fighting back from two sets down and saving a match point in the fourth set.

The 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-7 (8-10), 9-7, victory by the Bryans makes the match score 2-1 to Team GB with Jamie Murray expecting his brother to clinch the tie for the home side this afternoon.

Andy Murray plays John Isner, who he has beaten on all three occasions they have met, and his brother said last night: "I'm sure Andy will be pretty confident. I don't think Isner is going to be exactly back-flipping out of bed tomorrow morning to play Andy, I wouldn't have thought. I'd rather be in Andy's shoes, than Isner's."

Isner took the best part of five hours to lose a two-set lead and the match to James Ward on Friday after Murray had dismissed Donald Young.

Asked if the Wimbledon champ-ion would relish a match that could take Great Britain to a home quarter-final tie with France in July, his brother said: "Definitely. He has 7000 Scottish, British people cheering him. He will want to go out and put on a good performance and beat Isner. I think we're all fully confident that he will do that."

The elder Murray also questioned the team spirit in a USA team who have seemed at times overwhelmed by the noise in the Emirates and the togetherness of their opponents.

"It's pretty obvious to me we're a much tighter team than the American team. The way everyone on the bench is getting behind us. I didn't feel that from the American team. They weren't getting up or cheering or anything for the Bryans," he said. "Our guys were going hell for leather every point. That helped us get back into the match, dig deep and do something about the situation we were in."

He said of his brother's interventions: "I hear him because I am used to his voice. Whomever you are looking at the bench, everyone is shouting for you."

Inglot said of Andy Murray's observations: "I heard 'be sharp at the net!' a lot of times. I was like: 'I'd better be sharp at the net, then'."

Leon Smith, the Team GB captain, had no regrets about not picking the Murrays as a pairing, saying: "It was the right decision for a number of reasons. Andy has not played doubles for nine months or something. These guys showed today it was the right decision. Andy was right behind it, not just to save himself but he genuinely thought these guys had a good chance of creating an upset."

The victory by the Bryans lifted the hopes of the Americans but Jim Courier, USA captain, was realistic last night as he accepted Isner has to play the world No 5 and Young can no longer be considered a favourite against Ward who was brilliant on Friday.

"I think you just have to look at the history books of how many teams are on the road from two down and come back and win it, it's not done often so it would be huge," he said.

"We have a lot of work ahead, but if we get there, boy it's going to be really fun and interesting."

It was certainly intriguing in the febrile atmosphere of a packed Emirates Arena though Mike Bryan pointed out he had played in less hospitable places.

"Before, we played in Seville, 25,000 loud Spaniards," he said. "I think we played 11 road matches so we've seen it all. The DJ here, though, was cranking it up. The music was so loud you couldn't think, it was louder than the fans. And we win a game and we sit down, he puts on lullabies."

The expectation now is for tunes of glory tomorrow as Murray plays Isner and Ward faces Young.