England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure 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, adding to his modest returns 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 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
