England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after Crawley made 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 Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
