Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Controversial 'Weak Men' Comments
The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware 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. This is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.