England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes made this message in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said 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 going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 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 averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
