England opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated 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 were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks 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 the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
