England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
