England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
