England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – 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 destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
