Crawley Unaware of Stokes' Controversial 'Weak Men' Remarks

The English opening batter Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".

Stokes made this message in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.

Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.

"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.

But, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."

"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.

Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy

The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.

The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.

Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.

Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in charge.

"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."

Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph

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

The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.

This means, Australia need four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three matches played.

A loss will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.

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

The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.

"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."

"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.

"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."

Pope's Position Under Scrutiny

Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.

Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his poor record versus Australia.

In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.

Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.

However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."

"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."

"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.