The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"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. It is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
