The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
