England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "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 discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
