Crawley Unaware of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Comments

The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".

The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.

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 allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.

"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.

However, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."

"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.

Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy

The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.

The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.

Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.

Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.

"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."

Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory

Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.

Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.

A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.

This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.

Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.

"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."

"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.

"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."

Pope's Place Under Scrutiny

Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.

The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.

Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.

Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.

However, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."

"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."

"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.