The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following England's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "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 a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
