England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "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 press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures 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 Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
