Crawley Unaware of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Weak Men' Remarks
The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"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 a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "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 several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.