Vaughan, finished on a personal high by scoring a one-day career-best 90 as England won by 74 runs in Bulawayo on Sunday but said he was "happy to be leaving" for the "exciting leg" of England's schedule.

But while happy to be leaving behind the controversy of Zimbabwe, the England skipper knows that a much stiffer assignment awaits him in South Africa and then next summer when England will attempt to regain the Ashes.

"I realise I need to improve my one-day stats. Hopefully I can take this form into Test series in South Africa and the seven one-day games," said Vaughan.

"It was a convincing series win. The boys did well in different situations."

He also praised the efforts made by the youngsters in his squad who were given their chance after first choice players Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Flintoff were rested and pace bowler Steve Harmison refused to tour.

"It was a tour where we gave opportunity to a few players and they have come in and done a very good job," said Vaughan.

"It makes the selectors' job a little bit harder because we are producing a good pool of players."

Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu, with his team racked by selection controversies, knows his young, inexperienced team have a lot to learn.

"We are not quite there yet. We need a bit of experience and the more games we play the better we become," said the wicketkeeper.

"We are just getting individual performances on the day but we have to play good cricket for 100 overs and we have to get it together in a game and we really haven't done that and really have to work on that.

"I'm very lucky that I have a bunch of young guys who really want to play for their country and give their best."

England only went to Zimbabwe under duress with the threat of a heavy fine and suspension by the International Cricket Council (ICC) overcoming political and moral concerns they had about the regime of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe.

But there was no disguising Yorkshire batsman Vaughan's uxppiness that Zimbabwe had not fielded their strongest side, with former captain Heath Streak among those still sidelined following the racial selection row which saw 15 senior, white players all axed earlier in the year.

England were due to fly out to Johannesburg on Monday to join the remainder of the squad preparing for the five-Test series against South Africa starting in Port Elizabeth on December 17.

But before they crossed the border, Vaughan urged Zimbabwe cricket chiefs to bring the likes of paceman Streak, spinner Ray Price and batsmen Stuart Carlisle and Grant Flower back into the fold.

"I find it disappointing when you see Heath Streak in the stand just watching," Vaughan said.

"I don't want to get involved in the political wrangles going on, but Zimbabwe certainly are not putting their best team out on the pitch at the minute. I am just a bit baffled. They are not picking their strongest team at the minute."