The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener made a knock of 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 anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
