England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six 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 press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
