The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in several conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "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 a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
