England opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of play – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England 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 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
