England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
