England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" comment after England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
