The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made this message in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"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.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
