England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in several conversations following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted 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 Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal 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 Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
