England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
