The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener made a knock of 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. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
