England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews 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 are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "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.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. 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 three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his poor record against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
