Jimmy Anderson could swing Ashes for England

James Anderson's "top-class display" of swing bowling which destroyed the West indies in the Second Test at the Riverside in Durham has the former England coach Duncan Fletcher purring in the Guardian.

His figures of 9-125 for the match put Fletcher in ind of Simon Jones, whose heroics during the summer of 2005 were central to England winning the Ashes: "I believe Jimmy has it in him to do for England what Simon managed against Australia in 2005 – but with added extras." No mean boast.

"Like Jones, Anderson swings the ball at pace, but he swings it both ways on a regular basis and I would say he swings it even more than Jones did. And, unlike Jones, Anderson is the undisputed attack leader. If he can maintain that level of performance, he can be a match-winner in the Ashes this summer."

He didn't just bamboozle the tailenders. Anderson's wickets at Durham were throughout the West Indian team, as he "left the top order guessing" about what ball he'd send down next. "He disguises his deliveries so well that even someone like Shiv Chanderpaul could not always read which way the ball was going to swing. That's a hell of a skill and it reflects tremendously well on a guy who is always looking to better himself."

And it's not just Anderson who impressed Fletcher: his partnership with Stuart Broad looks to be developing well. "The presence of Broad, another thinking cricketer, at mid-off or mid-on when Anderson is bowling, is very helpful - much more so than some of the superfluous information he might have been getting previously. It was interesting that Anderson was at his best when there was only one guy in his ear."

And with Graham Onions and Tim Bresnan in good form, "England will be very pleased" with the series. "Sure, West Indies did not seem interested. But it's important to win this sort of game comprehensively because it gives you hunger and belief."

Bring on the Aussies!