Zak Crawley Unaware of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Weak Men' Remarks

The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".

Stokes made those words in several interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.

Ahead of the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.

"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.

However, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."

"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.

Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging

The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.

The England squad afterwards took a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.

Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.

Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.

"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."

The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph

Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.

Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.

This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.

A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.

This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.

The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.

"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."

"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.

"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."

Ollie Pope's Position In Question

While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.

Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.

Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.

Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.

However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."

"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."

"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.