England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
