England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley made 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 some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
