England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let 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," said Stokes.
But, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"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," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he said his players had held "raw" talks 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 guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"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.
