Zak Crawley Unaware of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Comments
England opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
