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England's bowling consultant Southee is still working through the extent of his role will be at the forthcoming Ashes contest in Australia.

The ex- Kiwi pace bowler is expected to be available for the opening match due to his participation in the ILT20 tournament, which starts on 2 December in the UAE.

The 36-year-old, aged 36, took up a position as England's fast bowling consultant in the summer after claiming 391 scalps in 107 Test matches for the Kiwis.

Commenting as England's squad for the first of three T20 matches against the Kiwis was announced, he stated of his participation: "We're still working through that at the present time.

"We will determine what happens over the coming days."

English pace icon Stuart Broad had stated the Australia side as their "worst team since 2010", but Southee was in little doubt over what to expect during the series, which begins on November 21.

"I don't think there's at any time a bad Aussie side," he remarked.

"The team's attention is squarely on what we're trying to do. I think the caliber of [the English] side that's heading out to the host country is excellent.

"It should be an absolute cracker, that series. Not just [are|do] English and Australian people looking forward to it, I think the whole cricket world is."

However, prior to the English team head to Perth for the opening Ashes Test, they face New Zealand in Christchurch on this Saturday.

England XI v New Zealand:

• Salt

• Jos Buttler

• Bethell

• Brook (captain)

• Tom Banton

• Sam Curran

• Cox

• Brydon Carse

• Liam Dawson

• Adil Rashid

• Luke Wood