England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
