England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell 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 decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
