England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
