Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Controversial 'Frail Characters' Comments

The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".

Stokes made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.

In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.

"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.

However, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."

"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.

Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy

Stokes issued his "weak men" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.

The team subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.

Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.

Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in leadership.

"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."

The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph

The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.

Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.

This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played.

A loss would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.

The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.

Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.

"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."

"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.

"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."

Ollie Pope's Position In Question

While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.

The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.

Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.

Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.

But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."

"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."

"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.