England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in several conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, following the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
