Crawley Unaware of Stokes' Provocative 'Weak Men' Remarks

England opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".

The all-rounder delivered those words in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.

In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.

"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.

But, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, 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 some skepticism," he added.

Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy

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

The England squad afterwards took a holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.

Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.

Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.

"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."

Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph

The opener's wicket on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.

This means, the home team need four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.

Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.

This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.

The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.

"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."

"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.

"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."

Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny

Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.

The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.

Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 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 the Ashes and returned a poorer average.

But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."

"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."

"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.