England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon'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 target of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
