England opener Zak Crawley suggested 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 England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "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 Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – 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 urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure 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 the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
