Andy Flower takes the innings by the collar

Andy Flower equalled his side's record one-day score with an innings of 142 not out, while brother Grant took two wickets with his stifling spin in the first really competitive match of the series.

But, with captain Heath Streak having injured a hamstring while batting, Zimbabwe's attack lacked firepower.

Although no England batsman managed to pass 50, there were important contributions from Nick Knight, Mark Ramprakash and Andrew Flintoff as the tourists kept pace with the required run rate of almost a run a ball.

Captain Nasser Hussain completed the win with a six over deep midwicket, but missed much of the Zimbabwe innings having tweaked his left calf. Marcus Trescothick captained in the field.

Controversial innings

Andy Flower was head-and-shoulders above his team-mates, ending the innings with a crashed four through midwicket off Matthew Hoggard to end 142 not out.

Flower and Foster square up after a catch is turned down

He joins brother Grant and former captain David Houghton as holders of the record.

The wicket-keeper found an ally in Heath Streak to pass the 124 made by Pakistan's Yousuf Youhana and Rashid Latif against Australia at Cardiff last June as the seventh wicket record in all one-day internationals.

Flower's innings was not without incident, however. On two occasions, wicket-keeper James Foster claimed to have caught the batsman, standing up to the wicket for the bowling of Paul Collingwood.

After the second occasion, Foster approached Flower after umpire Chris Nyazika turned down the appeal, the pair standing eyeball to eyeball, and Flower appeared to push his head at Foster.

The incident continued as they exchanged heated words while Flower was taking guard for the next delivery.

Square leg umpire Ian Robertson had to talk to the two players to calm them down, but there will likely be some form of disciplinary action from match referee Colonel Naushad Ali.

Hoggard's feat

In Flower's considerable shadow was England pace bowler Hoggard, who finished with five for 49 to become just the eighth England bowler to take five in an innings.

The last occasion that this was achieved was by Graeme Hick, at the same venue in February 2000.

A five-wicket opening spell from Hoggard set England up

Hoggard's figures were diminished after a brutal two final overs, although he picked up the scalps of Streak for 56 and Dirk Viljoen at the death. A wonderfully composed first eight overs yielded just 28 runs.

Although he occasionally lacked control on his one-day international debut, Hoggard's Yorkshire colleague Ryan Sidebottom celebrated with exhuberence his maiden scalp, Stuart flashing outside off-stump to a diving Nick Knight at second slip.

Mid-innings collapse

After 88 runs had been hit in the first 15 overs of England's reply, the relaxed fielding regulations saw the key wickets of Nick Knight and Graham Thorpe fall in quick succession, both mistiming spinners to be caught in the deep.

Mark Ramprakash was then needlessly run out after a fielding mixup with Paul Collingwood to leave the tourists struggling at 126 for three.

Andrew Flintoff's punishing innings fell just short of 50

But Collingwood and Andy Flintoff came together for the fifth wicket, adding 72 in 13 overs to keep England on course.

Flintoff punished the attack in a way not seen since his last half century - an epic 84 against Pakistan a year ago - with two massive sixes in a 47-ball innings.

He was to perish just short of 50, disgusted with himself in lofting a Grant Flower long hop to Dirk Viljoen at deep midwicket, and Collingwood went shortly afterwards for 36.

But the hard yards in the middle of the innings had been taken at a canter and Hussain and Jeremy Snape came together to add an unbeaten 51 in seven overs to finish off their demoralised hosts.