England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations following England's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener 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," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener said any notion his teammate 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 Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
