Anderson on the up ahead of the Ashes

James Anderson signalled his determination to be England's leading pace bowler in the Ashes by taking five wickets in their warm-up match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston here Thursday.

The 26-year-old Lancashire quick's haul of five wickets for 34 runs helped England bowl out Warwickshire for just 102, with all-rounder Andrew Flintoff and left-arm spinner Monty Panesar also in the wickets ahead of next week's first Test against Australia in Cardiff.

That allowed England, already 188 runs in front on first innings, time for additional batting practice.

They took it to the extent they finished the second day of three on 185 for two, an overall lead of 373, although Kevin Pietersen, who made just six, missed out on useful time in the middle.

Anderson has taken just five Test wickets against Australia at an expensive average of 82.60 with other bowlers being preferred by England in previous Ashes series.

But there are signs that Anderson, whose international career has been a stop-start affair, may be growing into the role of England's leading quick.

This display followed his man-of-the-match nine-wicket haul in the second Test against the West Indies at Chester-le-Street.

Anderson had Jonathan Trott caught behind before fellow Lancashire paceman Flintoff, criticised for missing the team bus during last weekend's squad trip to visit World War I graves in Belgium, had Tony Frost lbw

Flintoff, the star of England's 2005 Ashes series triumph but now coming back from a knee injury, then had left-hander Jim Troughton caught behind off a lifting delivery bowled from around the wicket - a tactic he is sure to use against the several southpaws in Australia's top-order.

The all-rounder's first spell saw him return figures of two wickets for 14 runs in six overs.

But from then on it was Anderson who took centre stage with three wickets in six overs that saw him to his five-wicket haul

Ex-England wicket-keeper Tim Ambrose was bowled off-stump before Ateeq Javid and Rikki Clarke were caught at gully and second slip respectively.

Panesar, who entered this practice match with just six first-class wickets but out-bowled fellow spinner Graeme Swann.

He finished with three for 10, albeit against Warwickshire's lower-order, but will travel to Cardiff hopeful of bowling on a pitch set to take turn.

England decided to promote Ravi Bopara to open alongside captain Andrew Strauss following regular opener Alastair Cook's first-innings century.

Strauss, dropped by Trott at first slip off seamer Naqaash Tahir on 23, went on to make 61 before he was caught and bowled by seamer Chris Woakes.

Pietersen, who made just one in the first innings, again fell in single figures after guiding Ireland quick Boyd Rankin to second slip but Bopara pressed on to be 88 not out at stumps.