England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
