England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate 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 everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England 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.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
