World Baseball Classic: Great Britain beaten 2-1 by Mexico in final group game

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, BJ Murray Jr's single in the sixth inning helped Great Britain level the score against Mexico

Great Britain suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Mexico in their final game of the World Baseball Classic.

GB pushed Mexico all the way in Phoenix but could not repeat their historic first win of the competition against Colombia.

They are bottom of Pool C with one win and three defeats from four games.

But GB will move up a place to fourth, earning them automatic qualification for the 2026 WBC, if the USA beat Colombia on Thursday (02:00 GMT).

Great Britain, making their debut in the fifth edition of the tournament, impressed in a tense duel against Mexico, who stunned Pool C favourites USA in their last match.

After conceding a run in the bottom of the second inning, Britain levelled the score in the top of the sixth when a single from BJ Murray Jr allowed Chavez Young to scamper home from third base.

But Mexico, who will reach the quarter-finals with victory over Canada in their final group game, regained the lead in the next inning and held on to claim a second win from their three matches.