England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 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 everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK 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 modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
