The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after the opener made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, 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 press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
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 as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
