The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "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," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia 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 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of play – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
