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England fast-bowling advisor Tim Southee is currently evaluating the extent of his role will be during the forthcoming Ashes series in Australia.

The former Kiwi pace bowler is only likely to be present for the first Test due to his involvement in the International League T20 tournament, which begins on December 2 in the UAE.

The 36-year-old, 36, assumed a role as the English team's pace bowling advisor in the summer after claiming 391 wickets in 107 Test matches for New Zealand.

Commenting as the English team for the opening of three Twenty20 games against the Kiwis was announced, he stated of his participation: "We are still evaluating that at the moment.

"We'll see what happens over the next little while."

England pace icon Broad had declared the Australian side as their "weakest squad since 2010", but Southee was in no uncertainty over what to expect during the series, which starts on 21 November.

"In my view there's at any time a poor Aussie side," he remarked.

"The team's attention is firmly on what we're trying to do. I think the caliber of [England's] 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 eagerly anticipate it, I believe the whole cricket world is."

But, before the English team travel to the city of Perth for the first Ashes match, they take on New Zealand in the city of Christchurch on Saturday.

England XI v New Zealand:

• Salt

• Buttler

• Jacob Bethell

• Brook (captain)

• Tom Banton

• Curran

• Jordan Cox

• Carse

• Dawson

• Adil Rashid

• Wood