Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Weak Men' Comments

England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".

The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.

Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.

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

But, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."

"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.

Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy

Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.

The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.

Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.

Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in leadership.

"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."

The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory

The opener's wicket 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 – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.

Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.

Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.

This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.

The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.

"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."

"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.

"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."

Ollie Pope's Place In Question

Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.

The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns against Australia.

Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.

Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.

However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."

"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."

"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.