England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations following England's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after the opener scored 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 a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
