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England's bowling consultant Tim Southee is currently evaluating the extent of his role will be during the upcoming Ashes contest in Australia.

The former New Zealand seamer is only likely to be present for the first Test due to his involvement in the International League T20 tournament, which begins on 2 December in the United Arab Emirates.

Southee, 36, assumed a role as the English team's fast bowling consultant in the summer after taking 391 wickets in 107 Tests for the Kiwis.

Commenting as England's team for the first of three Twenty20 games against the Kiwis was announced, he said of his availability: "We are still evaluating the situation at the present time.

"We'll see the outcome over the coming days."

English bowling legend Stuart Broad had stated the Australia team as their "worst team since 2010", but Southee was in no uncertainty over the anticipated challenge during the contest, which starts on 21 November.

"In my view there's ever a bad Aussie side," he said.

"The team's attention is squarely on what we're trying to do. In my opinion the caliber of [the English] team that's going out to the host country is excellent.

"It ought to be an absolute cracker, that series. Not just [are|do] English and Australian people eagerly anticipate it, I think the entire cricketing community is."

However, prior to England head to the city of Perth for the first Ashes match, they face the Kiwis in Christchurch on Saturday.

England's Playing XI v New Zealand:

• Salt

• Jos Buttler

• Jacob Bethell

• Brook (captain)

• Tom Banton

• Curran

• Jordan Cox

• Brydon Carse

• Liam Dawson

• Adil Rashid

• Wood