England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate 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 everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
