England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking 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 some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
