England Coach Southee Unsure on Ashes Participation
Tim Southee's last Test for the Kiwis was against the English side in December 2024.
England's bowling consultant Tim Southee is currently evaluating what his involvement will be during the forthcoming Ashes contest in Australia.
The former New Zealand pace bowler is only likely to be present for the opening match due to his involvement in the ILT20 tournament, which begins on December 2 in the UAE.
The 36-year-old, aged 36, took up a position as England's pace bowling advisor in the warmer months after claiming 391 scalps in 107 Test matches for the Kiwis.
Speaking as the English team for the opening of three T20 matches against New Zealand was named, Southee said of his participation: "We're still working through the situation at the moment.
"We'll see what happens over the next little while."
English bowling legend Stuart Broad had declared the Australia team as their "worst team since 2010", but the consultant was in no uncertainty over what to expect during the series, which starts on 21 November.
"In my view there's ever a bad Australian cricket team," he remarked.
"The team's attention is squarely on what we're trying to do. In my opinion the caliber of [England's] side 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 eagerly anticipate it, I think the whole cricket world is."
But, prior to the English team travel to Perth for the first Ashes match, they take on the Kiwis in the city of Christchurch on this Saturday.
England XI v New Zealand:
Salt
Jos Buttler
Jacob Bethell
Brook (captain)
Banton
Curran
Cox
Carse
Liam Dawson
Adil Rashid
Wood
