England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 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 fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
