England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
