England signed off their troubled trip to Zimbabwe on Sunday by completing a 4-0 whitewash in their one-day international series.

England scored 261 for six and then dismissed Zimbabwe for 187 in 48.4 overs to win the fourth and final match of the rubber by 74 runs.

England had teetered on 104 for five before captain Michael Vaughan and Geraint Jones shared a record sixth-wicket stand of 150. England's previous best sixth-wicket stand against all opposition was the 120 Kevin Pietersen and Jones put on in the second match of the series in Harare on Wednesday.

Both Vaughan, who was undefeated on 90 from 99 balls with two fours and two sixes, and Jones, whose 80 came off 75 deliveries and featured seven fours and two sixes, improved their career-best scores.

Vaughan and Jones batted efficiently rather than aggressively and the inexperienced Zimbabwe attack floundered in their attempts to stop the flow of runs.

The partnership remained intact until Jones holed out to Dion Ebrahim on the midwicket boundary.

England paceman Darren Gough knocked over the top three in the Zimbabwe order with only 22 runs scored and finished with four for 34 from his eight overs.

Zimbabwe never recovered, but Hamilton Masakadza showed impressive application to score 66, his maiden half-century.

The series had been in doubt up to 10 days ago as Zimbabwe authorities barred 13 media members. After much controversy it went ahead when the ban was lifted but only four games were played instead of five.

England now fly to Johannesburg for a major series with South Africa from December to February featuring five tests and seven one-dayers. The first test starts on December 17.

Scoreboard:

England
I.Bell c Matsikenyeri b Rainsford 30
M.Prior c Vermeulen b Rainsford 35
M.Vaughan not out 90
A.Strauss c Chigumbura b Matsikenyeri 17
K.Pietersen c Nkala b Matsikenyeri 0
P.Collingwood run out 5
G.Jones c Ebrahim b Chigumbura 80
G.Batty not out 0

Extras (nb-1 w-3) 4

Total (for six wickets, 50 overs) 261

Fall of wickets: 1-55 2-71 3-93 4-94 5-104 6-254

Did not bat: D.Gough, A.Wharf, S.Jones

Bowling: Panyangara 10-0-58-0 (nb-1), Rainsford 10-1-29-2, Nkala 3-0-35-0 (w-2), Chigumbura 4-0-46-1 (w-1), Utseya 10-0-33-0, Matsikenyeri 10-1-35-2, Taylor 3-0-25-0

Zimbabwe
S.Matsikenyeri c G.Jones b Gough 10
B.Taylor c G.Jones b Gough 4
D.Ebrahim lbw b Gough 0
M.Vermeulen c Collingwood b S.Jones 5
H.Masakadza b Collingwood 66
T.Taibu c Prior b Collingwood 23
E.Chigumbura b Bell 29
M.Nkala c Pietersen b Gough 7
T.Panyangara c Batty b Bell 13
P.Utseya not out 12
E.Rainsford b Bell 0

Extras (b-1 lb-1 nb-3 w-13) 18

Total (all out, 48.4 overs) 187

Fall of wickets: 1-8 2-8 3-22 4-43 5-118 6-129 7-149 8-168 9-187.

Bowling: Wharf 6-3-14-0 (nb-2 w-1), Gough 8-0-34-4 (nb-1 w-7), Collingwood 10-0-34-2 (w-3), S Jones 8-3-33-1 (w-2), Batty 10-1-36-0, Pietersen 2-0-22-0, Bell 3.4-0-9-3, Strauss 1-0-3-0.

Result: England won by 74 runs

First match: Harare - England won by five wickets

Second match: Harare - England won by 161 runs

Third match: Bulawayo - England won by eight wickets