The murky Guyana weather came to England’s rescue as another washout handed them a place in super eight. Ireland restricted England to 120 for eight in 20 overs but persistent showers killed the contest and allowed only 3.3 overs of play in the second innings. Ireland scored 14 for one and the match was abandoned. England advanced to super eight on superior run-rate.

Ireland seriously would have nurtured hopes of an upset after veteran Trent Johnson led the way with a superb spell in which gave only 14 runs and took a wicket The pitch suited Ireland’s attack which was disciplined and made England work hard for their runs. The only man who came to terms of the pitch and the attack was ironically Eion Morgan, an Irish import, who held the innings together. Morgan cracked five boundaries in his 37 ball knock and was involved in a 41-run fifth wicket stand with Luke Wright which was the highest in the innings. But the damage was done in the first 10 overs of the England innings in which they lost four wickets for 49 runs.

Lumb and Keiswetter started cautiously on a pitch where the ball moved and boundaries were at a premium. The opening pair added 24 before Lumb fell. An eventful over from Johnston saw Keiswetter run-out after being sent back by Pietersen and Collingwood edged a catch to slips. Pietersen struggled to come to terms with the slow pitch and holed out in the deep to leave England in disarray. The fifth wicket stand brought respectability but Ireland’s attack was steady and England lost wickets far too regularly to launch the final assault. The rain which had robbed England of a win against West Indies came to their rescue as persistent showers restricted Ireland’s chase to just 3.3 overs.