England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his poor record versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
