The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
