England opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
