The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
