England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 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 eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
