The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
