The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of 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 let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"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 played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
