The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
