England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
