England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
However, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
