England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, 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 needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "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," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion 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," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
