England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after the opener made 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. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, 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 an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
