The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
