Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Controversial 'Weak Men' Remarks

England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".

Stokes made those words in several interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.

Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.

"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.

But, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."

"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.

Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging

Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.

The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.

Prior to this match, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.

Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.

"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."

Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory

The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.

This means, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.

A loss would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.

The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.

The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.

"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."

"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.

"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."

Pope's Place In Question

Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.

Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.

In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.

Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.

But, the opener said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."

"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."

"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.