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".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" comment after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
