England Coach Tim Southee Unsure on Ashes Participation
Tim Southee's most recent Test match for the Kiwis was against England in the final month of 2024.
England bowling consultant Tim Southee is still working through the extent of his role will be during the upcoming Ashes contest in the host nation.
The former Kiwi pace bowler is expected to be available for the first Test because of his participation in the ILT20 competition, which starts on 2 December in the UAE.
The 36-year-old, aged 36, assumed a position as the English team's pace bowling advisor in the summer after claiming 391 scalps in 107 Tests for New Zealand.
Commenting as the English team for the opening of three T20 matches against New Zealand was named, he said of his availability: "We're still working through that at the moment.
"We'll see the outcome over the next little while."
England bowling legend Stuart Broad had declared 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.
"In my view there's ever a bad Aussie side," he said.
"Our focus is firmly on what we're trying to do. I think the caliber of [the English] team that's heading out to the host country is brilliant.
"It ought to be an absolute cracker, the Ashes. Not just [are|do] fans from both nations looking forward to it, I think the entire cricketing community is."
But, prior to the English team head to Perth for the first Ashes match, they take on the Kiwis in Christchurch on this Saturday.
England's Playing XI v the Kiwis:
Salt
Jos Buttler
Jacob Bethell
Brook (captain)
Tom Banton
Sam Curran
Jordan Cox
Brydon Carse
Liam Dawson
Adil Rashid
Wood
