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 several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
