Australia crash out of BJK Cup after Britain secure upset with doubles win

• Burrage and Dart overcome Hunter and Perez 6-3, 6-4

• Australia’s Jones defeats Swan 7-5, 6-3 in dead rubber

Sam Stosur’s fears of a “funky” upset have been realised as Australia’s team captain saw an understrength Great Britain send her side crashing out of Billie Jean King Cup contention.

After the visitors claimed both opening-day singles matches at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena, the new British doubles pairing of Jodie Burrage and Harriet Dart completed a 3-0 rout in the best-of-five qualifying tie on Saturday. Their 6-3, 6-4 win over Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez gave Great Britain an unassailable lead, sending last year’s semi-finalists into September’s finals in China. It is the second straight year Australia have missed the eight-nation finals.