England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made this message in several interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
However, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
