England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in several interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
