England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" comment after England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
