England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, he said his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," 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 will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"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 produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
