England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, following the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "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 some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
