The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "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," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
