England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, 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," said Stokes.
However, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "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 Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted 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'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope 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. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
