Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Comments

England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".

The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.

Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.

"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.

However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."

"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 a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.

Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy

The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.

The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.

Before this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.

Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.

"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."

The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory

Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.

Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.

A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.

The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.

The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.

"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."

"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.

"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."

Pope's Position In Question

Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term 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 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.

In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.

A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.

But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."

"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."

"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.