James Anderson is predicting a tight Ashes series after he got his tour off to a positive start with a four-wicket haul in the drawn two-day warm-up match against a Western Australia XI at the WACA.

Anderson made the old Kookaburra ball talk, extracting reverse swing to pick up four wickets in his second and third spells as he picked up four for 27 from his 13 overs.

The rest of England’s attack wasn’t quite as efficient, with Anderson’s fellow new-ball bowler Stuart Broad toiling for much of the day as he conceded 64 runs from 13 overs before picking up a late wicket on a second and final day that saw the WA XI finish on 342 for 10 – the hosts continuing to bat after losing their final wicket with their score on 338.

However, Anderson is predicting a close Ashes series even if Steve Smith’s hosts are strong favourites heading into the first Test in Brisbane on November 23.

“I think on paper it looks very even at the moment, but it all depends on which team deals with the pressure best in that first Test match,” he said.

“We’re going to make sure that the next couple of weeks we prepare well enough so that when we come to Brisbane we’re ready to go.”

On England’s bowling performance, Anderson added: “I think you could probably see from the first session we were rusty - that was pretty obvious. We didn’t quite get it right at all.

England Ashes squad Show all 17 1 /17 England Ashes squad England Ashes squad Captain: Joe Root England's Mr Dependable will lead his side into an Ashes series for the first time, and while he has the experience of the series wins in 2013 and 2015, he also has the scars of the last trip Down Under. Getty England Ashes squad Batsman: Alastair Cook The former captain will be crucial to England's hopes, with the Essex opener needing to find the same resilient form that he displayed in Australia in the 2010/11 series. Getty England Ashes squad Batsman: Mark Stoneman Cook's likely opening partner will be Mark Stoneman after selectors decided to stick with him despite a nervous series against the West Indies. Getty England Ashes squad Batsman/spinner: Dawid Malan Malan showed glimpses of promise this summer and can also offer an option with the ball, but he is untested on the hard pitches of Australia and could be found out. Getty England Ashes squad Batsman: Gary Ballance Ballance is handed yet another chance to salvage his England career as the selectors hope he will eventually come good for their unyielding faith. Getty England Ashes squad Batsman: James Vince Vince is the surprise inclusion in the squad, having done little of note in county cricket since being dropped in 2016. Getty England Ashes squad Batsman/spinner: Moeen Ali Moeen Ali could easily go on to be man of the series given his ability to deliver fireworks with bat and ball. He may disagree, but he is undoubtedly England's front line spinner. Getty England Ashes squad Batsman/spinner: Mason Crane Crane is yet to make his full debut, though took a wonderful catch against the West Indies as a substitute fielder and will head to Australia as a back-up leg-break spiner bowler. Getty England Ashes squad Wicketkeeper: Ben Foakes Foakes will head to Australia as a deputy for first-choice wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow. Getty England Ashes squad Wicketkeeper: Jonny Bairstow Another man who will need to produce runs to give England a chance of victory, with his ability in the mid-order giving the tourists a bite throughout the line-up. Getty England Ashes squad All-rounder: Ben Stokes Stokes is named in the side despite falling under a huge cloud after his arrest on a late night out in Bristol. His future as vice-captain looks very much in doubt. Getty England Ashes squad All-rounder: Chris Woakes Woakes will provide rest for the front-line bowlers and will also prove handy with the bat. Getty England Ashes squad Bowler: Stuart Broad Broad has long set his sights on this Ashes tour as he hopes to make up for the 2013/14 humiliation, and his opening partnership with James Anderson will set the tone for how England will cope out in Australia. Getty England Ashes squad Bowler: James Anderson England's leading Test wicket-taker will be wrapped in cotton wool until the first Test, though he will have to deliver the goods in a country where swing can be hard to find. Getty England Ashes squad Bowler: Jake Ball Ball could prove to be England's joke in the pack given his extra pace and bounce. Think Chris Tremlett a la 2010/11. It's just a case of keeping him fit. Getty England Ashes squad Bowler: Craig Overton The third uncapped member of the squad, Overton has been rewarded for a solid season with Somerset. Getty England Ashes squad Bowler: Tom Curran Called up by England to replace Steven Finn, who had previously been called up due to Ben Stokes' uncertainty. Getty

“We’ve got two more first-class games coming up before the series that we want to be fit for, and get those cobwebs out.

“I didn’t have much rhythm first up. It didn’t feel great, and there wasn’t much swing either with the new ball.

“But then I thought I got better as the day went on, and most of the bowlers would probably say the same. I thought we gradually got there in the end.

“It’s very different to English lengths here – so you can’t be as full – and I thought they played pretty well, and put pressure on us.

“But once we got into the day, and got our fields right, we bowled pretty well and reverse-swing came into the game later in the afternoon.

“There’s going to be guys that are more rusty than others.

“I thought Broady bowled a really good spell with the [second] new ball, at the back end there – and that spell at 5 or 5.30 in the afternoon can be just as crucial as the ones first thing in the morning.

“So getting used to coming back and bowling those spells is really useful for us.”

England's bowling attack failed to impress (Getty)

Josh Phillipe, 20, was the pick of the home batsmen, scoring 88 from 92 balls from the top of the order as the WA XI made England toil in the first session, with Anderson offering the youngster some choice words early on.

“Jimmy Anderson wasn’t too impressed early doors but I laughed it off because it was great to be out there and it was a great experience,” said Phillips.

“I couldn’t really tell you what he said to me to be honest. It was all in a friendly nature he just wasn’t too impressed when I was getting hold of a few early.”

Anderson said of Phillipe: “He was pretty good. He obviously threw his hands at everything, and on a flat pitch he got away with a lot. But I thought he timed the ball brilliantly.