England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"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 formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
