England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
