The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
