England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"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
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
