The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
