England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, 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 media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
