Zak Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Controversial 'Frail Characters' Comments
England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "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," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of play – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
