England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
But, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
