England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of play – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
