England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after 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 Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
