Australia's cricketers can finally put two-and-a-half weeks of frustration behind them when they arrive home from Zimbabwe.

The Australians played just three one-day matches and a two-day warm-up game as the two proposed Tests were scrapped.

The uncertainty before that decision was cast left the tour in a shambles and when it came to cricket, Australia was barely pushed by Zimbabwe's weakened team and won all three ODIs convincingly.

Only six Australians will arrive home, with seven members of the squad off to England to continue playing county cricket.

Captain Ricky Ponting will return home, along with Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Damien Martyn, Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath.

Darren Lehmann, Michael Clarke, Ian Harvey, Andrew Symonds, Brad Hogg, Shane Watson and Michael Kasprowicz are England-bound.

While Australia cantered home in all three one-dayers, there were some positives.

Gillespie bowled beautifully to claim the player of the series award with seven wickets in three matches, at an average of 12.85, including 5-32 in the last match.

Clarke hit his maiden hundred for his country, while McGrath and Watson played their first internationals after long injury lay-offs.

The Australians now have an extra two weeks to play county cricket or relax before they start preparations for the two Tests against Sri Lanka, to be played in Darwin and Cairns in July.

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