England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place 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 Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
