Britain's Arvind Parmar is out of the Australian Open, although not before giving the world no 34 a huge scare.

The British qualifier, ranked 256th in the world, looked set for victory over Younes El Aynaouiy at the start of the fourth set.

Leading by two sets to one, he broke the Moroccan, only to lose his next two service games.

El Aynaouiby took the set 6-3 and the decider 6-1. Parmar later admitted he he ran out of steam in the scorching Melborune heat.

"It wasn't my tennis that let me down, it was my body," said the 21-year-old after the first five-set match of his life.

"I started getting cramp in my right hand and felt pretty bad. It's such a shame - I was matching him, but he was stronger than me towards the end."

The Moroccan had failed to take any of his first 11 set points in the match, but still won 6-7 (10-8), 7-6 (7-5), 1-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Parmar is one of two players likely to replace the injured Greg Rusedski in next month's Davis Cup match against the Czech Republic.

His performance was witnessed by Britain's cup coach David Lloyd - who demanded Parmar go on a warm-down jog after his five-set match.

"The Czechs will be tough opponents but we won't be beaten on fitness," said Lloyd.