England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed 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 series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK 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 disheartening," said Crawley. "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 will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
