England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special entering this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
