England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
