England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations following England's loss in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, 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 required," remarked the England leader.
But, following the opener scored a knock of 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 media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days 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 so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
