England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate 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
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss 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 this match, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
