BULAWAYO, Dec 4: Vikram Solanki smashed a brilliant century to lead England to an eight-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the third one-day international on Saturday.

England overhauled Zimbabwe's 238 for seven in the 44th over to claim the four-match series 3-0.

Solanki scored an imperious 100 off 91 balls with 14 fours and two sixes.

Solanki and Ian Bell, who scored 53, put on 138 for the first wicket, an England record against Zimbabwe.

England's previous best opening stand against Zimbabwe was the 128 shared by Nasser Hussain and Nick Knight in Kimberley in 1999-2000.

England's first-wicket stand ended in the 20th over when Bell was caught behind by wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu off off-spinner Stuart Matsikenyeri.

Solanki was out in the 34th over, four balls after reaching his second century, when he drove a ball from Matsikenyeri to Douglas Hondo at long-off.

Michael Vaughan was 54 not out and Andrew Strauss scored an unbeaten 22 as England coasted home with 6.5 overs to spare.

Matsikenyeri and Dion Ebrahim scored half centuries to bolster Zimbabwe's total, their highest of the series so far.

Matsikenyeri hit 73 off 97 balls with seven fours and a six, a memorable cut over point off the bowling of seamer Simon Jones. Ebrahim scored 65, his fourth half-century, off 94 balls with four fours.

Matsikenyeri and Ebrahim picked up a flagging scoring rate to add 98 runs for the second wicket before Matsikenyeri attempted to sweep a ball from off-spinner Vaughan and sent a looping catch to James Anderson at backward point.

Zimbabwe suffered run outs from consecutive deliveries in the 40th over, and slumped from 164 for two to 165 for four in the process.

Rain between the innings delayed the start of England's reply by an hour.

The last match in the series will be played at the same venue on Sunday. #

Scoreboard