England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
