England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
But, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of play – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know 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 from the outside. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
