The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here against 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 performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion 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 talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
