The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted 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," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored a knock of 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. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
