Crawley Unaware of Stokes' Provocative 'Weak Men' Remarks

England opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".

Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.

Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.

"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.

But, following the opener made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."

"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.

Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy

The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.

The team subsequently took a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.

Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.

Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.

"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special going into this Test."

The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph

Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.

This means, the home team need four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests.

A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.

This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.

The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.

"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."

"There will still be 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 tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."

Pope's Position Under Scrutiny

While the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.

Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.

In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.

A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.

However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."

"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."

"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.