England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "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 "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "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 will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "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 of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
