England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
