Ashes 2013
Reuters

England fast bowler James Anderson has admitted his team's 3-0 win in the recently concluded Ashes series flattered the hosts and also stated the upcoming meeting in Australia would be a much tougher affair.

Alastair Cook's side had entered the summer's competition as heavy favourites to retain the title and went on to win three encounters in the five-match series, while the visitors failed to triumph in any of the games.

However, Anderson feels England were fortunate to win by such a huge margin and believes the winter series Down Under, which starts in November, can be a close one.

"All four games were tight and could have gone either way. Three-nil probably flatters us a bit if we are being brutally honest. But at the same time we fought out of holes and that is what you need in a series like this one. It might not be pretty but it is huge for us and we really want to win. We would take any win at all. We would take a 1-0 if we have to," Anderson pointed out.

"I imagine it [winter series] will be close. We are going to have to be prepared for them coming hard at us. We have to be prepared for the media going after us and probably the whole country. We know what will be thrown at us. There is always niggle in the media, ex-players coming out with things. One part of our success last time was dealing with that," the 31-year-old added.

Anderson also claims the inclusion of Boyd Rankin in the 17-man squad has given the English bowling attack plenty of depth for the return series.

The Northern Irishman is yet to make win a Test cap for England but impressed in the ODI series against Australia earlier this month. And Anderson insists their archrivals will be not be comfortable against the tall pace bowler.

"Australia got a good taste of it facing Boyd in the one-day series. He looked a real handful at times and that will worry them. Even if he doesn't start the series we have got that sort of player in the squad to use when we need to. It is good to have that depth," he stressed.

Australia