The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in several conversations following England's loss in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, following the opener made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
