The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team 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 asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "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."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
