The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"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 inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
