The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, 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.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face 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 likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
