The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, following the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term 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 the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
