England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, the home team require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages 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 poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
