England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley 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. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "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 produced some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
