Rain, which had robbed them of a great chance to get two points on Monday against the West Indies, paved way for England to the Super Eights stage against Ireland on Tuesday. Rain washed out the Ireland chase with only 3.3 overs bowled after England posted 120 for eight.

With each team getting one point, England qualified for the Super Eights stage, thanks to their superior net run-rate.

Ireland could add only 10 runs in 13 balls before rain interrupted the Group D match for the second time.

Ireland were 14 for one in 3.3 overs, with Captain William Porterfield (4 not out) and Niall O’Brien (9 not out) on the crease.

Opener Paul Stirling (0) was the only Ireland batsman to depart. He fell prey to Ryan Sidebottom in the second over after the match resumed when the rain had stopped for a few minutes.

Sidebottom was bowling his second over when the match was interrupted by the downpour again.

Earlier, Eoin Morgan’s 37-ball 45 helped England overcome an early slump and post a moderate 120 for eight.

Morgan, who struck five fours, found good support from Luke Wright (20 off 24) as the duo came together when the team was struggling at 49 for four and added 41 runs for the fifth wicket partnership to give a timely recovery.

Ireland bowlers put up a disciplined performance to make the English batsmen’s life miserable on a damp pitch, with Boyd Rankin (2/25) and Kevin O’Brien (2/22) scalping two wickets each.

After Ireland captain William Porterfield put England into bat, opener Michael Lumb (14 off 11) started on an attacking note by cracking a four off paceman Rankin’s first ball through the fine-leg region.

England suffered the first loss when pacer Kevin O’Brien removed Lumb in the first ball of the fifth over, with Rankin pouching a good low catch at short fine-leg region.

Lumb’s opening partner Craig Kieswetter (13 off 17) also returned to the dugout in the next over when the Englishman went for a close single but wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien found him short of the crease.

All of a sudden England found themselves in a spot of bother when captain Paul Collingwood also fell prey to Trent Johnston and returned without adding anything to the board.

Collingwood failed to manage a moving delivery off the pacer and the ball kissed the willow before flying to Botha who made no mistake.

Kevin Pietersen (9) teamed up with Morgan when England was struggling at 32 for three.

Kevin O’Brien struck for his second wicket just when the duo were trying to give recovery. Pietersen could not manage a rising delivery off the pacer as his lofted pull found John Mooney in deep square-leg area.

Dismissals at regular intervals arrested the run-rate of England, who were 49 for four after 10 overs.

Morgan and Wright teamed up at a time when reaching 100 was looking improbable for England with Ireland bowlers maintaining good line and length.

But the duo negotiated the bowling attack patiently and added 41 runs before Wright was removed by Ranking in the 16th over with Porterfield taking the catch.

Morgan, who fell to Andre Botha in the last over, however, ensured that England cross the 100-run mark.