Worthing's Martin Lee suffered nerves as he crashed to defeat in the second rubber of Great Britain's Davis Cup clash with Thailand on Friday.

However, Tim Henman's "calculated risk" paid off although his luck will have to hold for two more days for Great Britain to avoid relegation.

Henman recovered from a shaky start to beat world number 204 Danai Udomchoke 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-2 in the World Group qualifying tie at the National Indoor Arena.

But Lee's comprehensive straight-sets defeat to Paradorn Srichaphan made the match score level at 1-1 and puts more pressure on Henman to partner Miles Maclagan to victory in today's doubles before a match with Srichaphan in tomorrow's first reverse singles.

Lee won just five points against Srichaphan in the first set and admitted he had been badly afflicted with nerves in his first 'live' Davis Cup match.

"I didn't know what to expect," said Lee after his 0-6 6-7 2-6 defeat.

"I knew I was going to be nervous but when you're playing a guy in form and he starts well and you start so badly it's tough.

"I settled down at the beginning of the second set and that was the vital one in the match. I served for it but lost it and when you play a guy like that you can't let him get away like I did."

Henman, the British No. 1, had declared himself almost 100 per cent fit after ten days of treatment, including an anti-inflammatory injection, on the shoulder injury suffered before the US Open.

Yet he admitted he was still finding it hard to serve flat out as he made his first competitive appearance since bowing out at Flushing Meadows in the third round.

"I do feel cautious," said the 28-year-old. "Mentally it's difficult to have the belief and the trust in my shoulder that it's better and I should do because I've been pushing it harder and harder and had no reaction.

"But still sometimes when I stand up to the line and I'm going for my serve a bit more I'm waiting for that to happen, which makes it a little bit difficult, but the more I play without pain I'm sure I'll get rid of that."