England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "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 press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
