Kyle Edmund delivered again in Andy Murray’s absence to start Great Britain’s Davis Cup quarter-final against Germany with a win.

Edmund, 24, repaid the faith shown in him by captain Leon Smith to win 6-3 7-5 against Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Former world number one Murray, 32, was left out for the second tie in a row.

British number one Dan Evans, winless so far in the Madrid finals, will put his team into the last four if he beats Jan-Lennard Struff later on Friday.

If Evans loses to the German world number 35, Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski would have to win the final doubles rubber to send Britain through in the best-of-three tie – as the pair crucially managed to do in each of the two group-stage matches.

Hosts Spain, led by 19-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, or an Argentina side without the injured Juan Martin del Potro, would be Britain’s opponents in a potential semi-final on Saturday.

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Edmund steps in to deliver again

Although British captain Smith had said whether to recall Andy Murray was likely to be one of his “most difficult” decisions, the absence of the three-time Grand Slam champion was still a major surprise when the team was announced an hour before the quarter-final tie.

Murray, 32, produced a laboured performance in his victory over Dutch world number 179 Tallon Griekspoor in the opening group match on Wednesday, admitting afterwards he was still a couple of kilograms heavier than he would like to be.

Whether down to a lack of sharpness or something else, his absence again meant Britain are relying on Edmund and Evans to deliver against the Germans.

Edmund, like he did against Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin in Thursday’s must-win group tie, fulfilled his role spectacularly, producing one his finest matches of a year where he has struggled for victories on the ATP Tour.

Despite slipping to 69th in the world, Edmund has rediscovered his most potent weapon – blistering clean forehands – and improved his weaker backhand side at exactly the right time for his country.

The Yorkshireman hit 10 winners, compared to just six unforced errors, in a first set wrapped up in 32 minutes thanks to two breaks of serve and without facing a break point himself.

When 36-year-old Kohlschreiber did take his first chance at the third attempt in the fourth game of the second set, Edmund responded instantly to stop any momentum the German hoped to garner.

Showing a resilience and confidence often lacking this year, Edmund broke back with a forehand winner down the line, seconds after he chose the wrong side with a backhand which allowed the German to return at the net.

Two backhand winners down the line laid the platform for Edmund to break again for 6-5 and the opportunity to serve for the match, a chance he took with a hold to love sealed by a long Kohlschreiber return.

Edmund, usually so placid, revealed the emotions stirred by representing his nation in the Davis Cup by swinging a forearm high into the air after sealing a dominant win, embracing both Smith and Murray courtside before returning to the middle again to soak up the acclaim of the British fans.

While there appeared to be fewer Britons on a half-full court than at the two group ties against the Netherlands and Kazakhstan, those still in the Spanish capital provided sterling vocal support as they outnumbered their German counterparts.

“We have the best away fans here 100%, it feels like a home tie playing here,” Edmund said.

“We appreciate the efforts and we really feel it.”