England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
