The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in several interviews following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "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 press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
