Crawley Claims Ignorance of Stokes' Controversial 'Frail Characters' Comments

The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".

Stokes made this message in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.

Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.

"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.

However, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate 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 Consistent Messaging

The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.

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

Before this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.

Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in charge.

"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."

Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph

Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.

Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.

Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.

This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.

Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.

"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."

"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view 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 favourites and have demonstrated their quality."

Ollie Pope's Place In Question

Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.

The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against Australia.

In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.

A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.

However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."

"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."

"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.