England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "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 some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination 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 very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
