The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "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 Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
