England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 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 press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised 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. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
