LONDON - England pace bowler James Anderson has warned Australia that he is only just beginning to fulfill his potential ahead of the Ashes series later this year.

Anderson has taken 22 first-class wickets already this season in just three matches, including nine in a man-of-the-match display in the second Test victory over the West Indies last week, reports Sports24.

That impressive form has seen the Lancashire star tipped by experts, including former England coach Duncan Fletcher, as the man capable of helping England regain the Ashes when the Test series starts in July.

The 26-year-old has a chance to fine-tune his game for the titanic clashes with Australia when the second match of the one-day series against the West Indies takes place at Bristol on Sunday.

“I don’t think anyone has seen the best of Jimmy Anderson yet,” Anderson said.

“I think I’ve still got improving to do - and I hope I can do that, whether it’s through the Ashes series or beyond that.

“I hope I’ll be in similar form. It’s not that long away, and if I can have a good series here and the Twenty20 World Cup, then it’s time to start thinking about the Ashes.”

Anderson’s status as England’s attacking spearhead represents quite a contrast to earlier this year when he was left out of the first Test against the West Indies in the Caribbean.

“I’ve got my own expectations,” Anderson said. “I know what I can achieve in the Ashes; I know how big a part I can play and how important I am to this group of lads here; I’ll just be hoping to meet my expectations.

“It’s going to be crucial that we can get some plans nailed down early on and not wait for them to come at us. We’ve got to try to strike the first blow. My skills have always been there - I have always been able to swing it both ways and reverse-swing it both ways,” he said. (ANI)