There was reportedly no reserve ready to step in when Owen Jones injured himself during warm-up, so Britain was disqualified.

Britain eventually finished third on 155 points in an event which lived up to its billing in terms of quality in some, but by no means all, events.

The United States, overnight leaders, finished as winners with 219 points, well clear of their nearest challengers, Poland, who scored 162.

They thus took possession of the Platinum Trophy.

Jamaica fnished two points behind the hosts in fourth place.

The Athletics World Cup is a two-day team-based international competition inaugurated this year and which featured eight individual nations - China, France, Germany, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Jamaica, Poland, South Africa and the US.

Each nation enters one male or female into each event, with winners earning eight points down to last place, which earns a single point.

While the event is organised outside of the official International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) structures, the IAAF has expressed support notwithstanding the existence of its own four-yearly IAAF Continental Cup event, which next takes place in Ostrava from September 8 to 9.

On June 20 this year, Sky Sports were announced as the host broadcaster within the UK and Ireland.

Each nation is competing for a prize pool of $2 million (£1.4 million/€1.6 million).

South Africa's world long jump champion and Olympic silver medallist Luvo Manyonga produced the performance of the second day of the event as he won with 8.51m, finishing more than 20cm clear of his nearest challenger.

World pole vault champion Sam Kendricks of the US won with 5.83m from the world champion of 2013, Germany’s Raphael Holzdeppe, who managed 5.75.

Another world champion, China's shot putter Lijiao Gong, asserted her superiority with a winning effort of 19.90m.

Jamaica's Shericka Jackson won a competitive women's 400m in 22.35sec, with Jenna Prandini of the US second in 22.45 and Britain's Beth Dobbin third in 22.95.

Poland's hugely experienced Marcin Lewandowski, the world indoor 1,500m silver medallist, won a tactically raced men's 1,500m in 3min 52.88sec in front of Germany’s Tima Benitz, who clocked 3:53.11.

Vashti Cunningham of the US earned maximum points in the women's high jump as she won with 1.96m, closely pressed by Britain's Morgan Lake, who cleared 1.93.

The concluding women's event of the 4x100m relay got the crowd on its feet as Britain won in 42.52 from Jamaica, who clocked 42.60.

The last event of the competition, the men's 4x400m relay, was won by the US in a season’s best of 2:59.78.

In the men's hammer, this year's form thrower Wojciech Nowicki earned Poland more maximum points with an effort of 77.94m.

Shanieka Ricketts of Jamaica won the women's triple jump with a personal best of 14.61m.

The men's 100m was won in 10.03 by Jamaica's Tyquendo Tracey.

In the women's 100m hurdles eight points were accrued by South Africa's Rikenette Steenkamp, who clocked 12.88 ahead of Jeanine Williams of Jamaica, who finished in 12.95.

The first track race of the second night saw Paul Dedewo of the US win in a personal best of 44.48.

Germany's Vita Claudine won the women's discus with 62.92m and her compatriot Julian Weber won the men's javelin with 82.80m.

In the men's 400m hurdles, Kenny Selmon secured a win for the US in 48.97, with Patryk Dobek of Poland second in 49.02 and Britain's 2011 world champion Dai Greene third in 49.48.

The women's 800m was won by Raevyn Rogers of the US in 2:00.20.