Crawley Unaware of Captain Stokes' Controversial 'Weak Men' Comments
England opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, 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 press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.