The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"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," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
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 eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears 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 Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
