England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're 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 tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one 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 suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
