Zak Crawley Unaware of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Remarks
England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the fourth 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 anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries โ including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself โ meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket โ after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century โ Amiss โ has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" โ referring to the press โ "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
