GROS ISLET (St Lucia), March 25: Opener Ed Joyce hit 75 to help England into the Super Eights with a seven-wicket win over Kenya in a rain-affected World Cup Group C decider on Saturday.

Dublin-born Joyce, who made 66 against Canada last Sunday, combined with Kevin Pietersen (56 not out) to eliminate the Africans with 10 overs to spare and set up a first Super Eight match against Ireland in Guyana on Friday.

England's Andrew Flintoff, back after being dropped from the win over Canada because of a drinking scandal, had earlier grabbed two wickets to help limit Kenya to 177 all out.

The match, which started two hours late, was reduced to 43 overs-a-side because of overnight rain but Kenya captain Steve Tikolo sprung a surprise by electing to bat.

The decision looked to have backfired when a James Anderson delivery kept low to bowl opener Ravi Shah for four in the fifth over.

Clever field placings from England then contributed to the downfalls of Maurice Ouma and Tony Suji, who came into the side for opener David Obuya.

Another low delivery from Paul Collingwood undid Tanmay Mishra, who chopped a cut on to the stumps for a duck taking the score to 74 for four.

A mix-up with Tikolo led to Collins Obuya being run out for 10 before all-rounder Flintoff trapped Thomas Odoyo lbw.

Flintoff nearly had two more wickets with another excellent lbw shout and Tikolo being badly dropped by Joyce at mid-on before Jimmy Kamande was bowled by Collingwood's slower ball.

Tikolo struck 76 before being yorked by Flintoff and two late run outs wrapped up the innings.

Despite bowling out a side for the first time in this World Cup, England's attack was again inconsistent and leaked 22 extras including eight no balls.

Fast bowler Sajid Mahmood, included in place of Liam Plunkett, threw in many slower deliveries but they were largely ineffective.

England's run chase had a stuttering start with captain Michael Vaughan out for one as he again struggled with his one-day form.

The 32-year-old, who has recovered from long standing knee and hamstring problems, was surprised by some extra bounce and cut Peter Ongondo to backward point where Collins Obuya took a superb diving catch.

England's nerves were then frayed by Ian Bell falling for 16 and Pietersen being dropped on seven by wicketkeeper Ouma off Hiren Varaiya's first ball after drinks.

But Vaughan's men, who lost to fellow qualifiers New Zealand in their first group game, then easily completed their task despite former Ireland batsman Joyce being bowled by Tikolo late on.

Scoreboard

KENYA:

M.A. Ouma c Collingwood b Anderson 13

R.D. Shah b Anderson 4

A.O. Suji c Vaughan b Mahmood 14

S.O. Tikolo b Flintoff 76

T. Mishra b Collingwood 0

C.O. Obuya run out 10

T.M. Odoyo lbw b Flintoff 4

J.K. Kamande b Collingwood 17

L.N. Onyango run out 10

P.J. Ongondo run out 3

H.A. Varaiya not out 4

EXTRAS (LB-8, W-6, NB-8) 22

TOTAL (all out, 43 overs) 177

FALL OF WKTS: 1-10 (Shah, 4.5 ov), 2-35 (Ouma, 10.1 ov), 3-73 (Suji, 17.4 ov), 4-74 (Mishra, 18.5 ov), 5-99 (Obuya, 23.3 ov), 6-112 (Odoyo, 26.5 ov), 7-151 (Kamande, 36.4 ov), 8-165 (Tikolo, 40.2 ov), 9-170 (Ongondo, 41.2 ov).

BOWLING: Anderson 9-0-27-2 (1w); Mahmood 9-0-39-1 (3nb, 2w); Flintoff 9-0-35-2 (3nb, 1w); Bopara 1-0-7-0 (1nb, 1w); Collingwood 7-0-33-2 (1w); Panesar 8-0-28-0.

ENGLAND:

E.C. Joyce b Tikolo 75

M.P. Vaughan c Obuya b Ongondo 1

I.R. Bell c sub (R.V. Bhudia) b Odoyo 16

K.P. Pietersen not out 56

P.D. Collingwood not out 18

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-7, NB-3) 12

TOTAL (for three wkts, 33 overs) 178

FALL OF WKTS: 1-12 (Vaughan, 3.1 ov), 2-52 (Bell, 8.4 ov), 3-155 (Joyce, 27.6 ov).

DID NOT BAT: A. Flintoff, R.S. Bopara, P.A. Nixon, S.I. Mahmood, J.M. Anderson, M.S. Panesar.

BOWLING: Odoyo 6-0-27-1 (2nb, 3w); Ongondo 4-0-31-1; Onyango 2-0-14-0; Suji 3-0-15-0 (1nb); Varaiya 6-0-39-0 (2w); Kamande 5-0-24-0; Tikolo 4-0-18-1; Obuya 3-0-8-0.

RESULT: England won by seven wickets.

UMPIRES: R.E. Koertzen (South Africa) and P.D. Parker (Australia).

TV UMPIRE: B.R. Doctrove (West Indies).

MATCH REFEREE: M.J. Procter (South Africa).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Ed Joyce.—Reuters