England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
