England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
