England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several interviews following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard touring here against 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 Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
