England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain 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 required," said Stokes.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" comment after England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added 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 discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
