The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
