NATHAN ROBERTSON and Anthony Clark won a men’s doubles nail-biter on day two of the Li Ning Sudirman Cup in Guangzhou, China, tonight.

But it wasn’t enough to help Center Parcs-supported Team England to victory over former champions Indonesia.

Nottinghamshire's former European silver medallists Clark and Robertson, who was winning his 99th international cap, overcame a pair ranked 12 places higher at world No 8 in Bona Septano and Mohammad Ahsan 21-11 18-21 24-22 on their second match point in a contest lasting exactly one hour.

But the victory was the only one they could manage against the team who narrowly beat them 3-2 in the 2007 semi-finals in Glasgow when England gained their first bronze medal in these world mixed team championships.

In the women’s singles Sarah Walker faced a player more than 100 places higher than her in World No. 20 Adriyanti Firdasari and the 19-year-old Essex prospect put up another spirited display before going down 21-12 21-18 while in the men’s singles Hampshire’s World No. 22 Andrew Smith (below) pushed world No 8 Simon Santoso all the way before losing 21-15 21-14.

That made it 2-1 to Indonesia and they secured the match victory when Yorkshire’s World

No. 19 pair Jenny Wallwork and Gabby White were edged out by World No. 25s Greysia Polii and Nitya Krishinda Maheswari 21-15 21-7.

European champions and World No. 6 pair Donna Kellogg (Derbyshire) and Clark, back for his second contest of the night, were up against double World champions and World No. 1s Nova Widianto and Liliyana Natsir, who completed the 4-1 scoreline with a 21-15 21-10 victory.

England, who lost to six-times champions China 5-0 yesterday, now have a rest day before facing Japan on Wednesday evening (7pm local time) in a match they must win to avoid finishing bottom of Group 3B and the prospect of a tough relegation play-off on Friday, almost certainly against Hong Kong.

Team manager Julian Robertson will be concerned that tonight’s men’s doubles was England’s only win from 10 contests over the first two days. The other nine haven’t even gone to three games.

But he said: "The plan was to prepare for a possible 3-2 scenario with men's doubles leading off. Then hopefully we would have a chance in men's singles and finish off with mixed.

"But the Indonesians were sharper generally and more clinical in finishing points than we were.

"It was a big ask for Andrew Smith to come through against the No. 8 ranked player in the world but we felt the chance was there.

"With the younger players it is important for them to get the experience at this level. While they were outplayed, overall they nonetheless played well and gained valuable experience. Next up is Japan on Wednesday."

Today’s results

Group 1B: England 1 Indonesia 4

Men’s doubles: Nathan Robertson & Anthony Clark bt Bona Septano & Mohammad Ahsan 21-11 18-21 24-22.

Women’s singles: Sarah Walker lost to Adriyanti Firdasari 21-12 21-18.

Men’s singles: Andrew Smith lost to Simon Santoso 21-15 21-14.

Women’s doubles: Jenny Wallwork & Gabby White lost to Greysia Polii & Nitya Krishinda Maheswari 21-15 21-7.

Mixed doubles: Anthony Clark & Donna Kellogg lost to Nova Widianto & Liliyana Natsir 21-15 21-10.

Group 3B: Scotland 2 Ukraine 3

Mixed doubles: Andrew Bowman & Emma Mason bt Valeriy Atrashchenkov & Elena Prus 21-19 19-21 22-20

Men's singles: Gordon Thomson lost to Dmytro Zavadsky 21-14 21-17

Women's singles: Susan Hughes bt Larisa Griga 21-12 21-7

Men's doubles: Andrew Bowman & Thomas Bethell lost to Vitaly Konov & Dmystro Zavadsky 24-22 21-16

Women's doubles: Emma Mason & Jillie Cooper lost to Mariya Diptan & Elena Prus 19-21 21-18 21-18

Today’s other results:

Group 1A: Malaysia 4 Hong Kong 1

Group 2B: Russia 3 Singapore 2, Netherlands 3 Poland 2

Group 3A: Czech Republic 3 Sweden 2, Bulgaria 3 USA 2.

Group 3B: India 4 Australia 1

Group 4A: Switzerland 4 Philippines 1, South Africa 4 Luxembourg 1.

Group 4B: Portugal 4 Sri Lanka 1, Lithuania 5 Mongolia 0.

Match preview

NATHAN ROBERTSON will win his 99th England cap in Guangzhou tonight when he faces Indonesia in the Sudirman Cup.

Robertson will partner Anthony Clark in men's doubles as Team England take on the team who beat them 3-2 in the semi-finals in Glasgow two years ago after trailing 2-0.

Clark is in for a tough night as he must play twice as he and Donna Kellogg, the European champions, take on double world champions Nova Widianto and Liliyana Natsir in the mixed doubles.

Andrew Smith and Sarah Walker fill the singles spots in the Center Parcs supported Team England line-up while Jenny Wallwork and Gabby White play the women's doubles.

Robertson and Clark come in for Chris Adcock and Robert Blair in the men's doubles in the only change from the line-up which lost 5-0 to six-times champions China last night. But Indonesia have rested Olympic champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan.

Blair won his 50th England cap against China.

Team manager Julian Robertson said: "We have got to try to get some revenge from two years ago in Glasgow.

"We know the Indonesians are favourites but if all our players perform to their maximum, we can cause them problems. Hopefully we can turn the tables.

"The order of play will be crucial to the tie. We need to get off to a good start and  get some rhythm going. Then anything can happen." 

Men's doubles: Anthony Clark & Nathan Robertson v Bona Septano & Mohammad Ashan

Women's singles: Sarah Walker v Adriyanti Fridarsi

Men's singles: Andrew Smith v Simon Santoso

Women's doubles: Jenny Wallwork & Gabby White v Greysia Polii & Nitya Krishinda Maheswari

Mixed doubles: Anthony Clark & Donna Kellogg v Nova Widianto & Liliyana Natsir