Zak Crawley Unaware of Stokes' Controversial 'Weak Men' Remarks

The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".

The all-rounder delivered this message in several interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.

In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.

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

However, after the opener made a knock of 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 press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.

Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging

The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.

The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.

Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.

Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.

"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."

The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory

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

Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.

This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.

Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.

The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.

Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.

"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."

"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.

"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."

Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny

Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.

Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns against Australia.

Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.

Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.

But, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope 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. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."

"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.