The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed 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, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
