Zak Crawley Claims Ignorance of Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Remarks

The English opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".

Stokes made this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss 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 now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.

"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.

However, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."

"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.

Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy

Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.

The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.

Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.

Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.

"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."

Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory

The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.

The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.

This means, Australia need four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.

Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.

The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.

Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.

"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."

"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.

"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."

Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny

Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.

The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.

In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.

A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.

However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."

"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."

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