England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
