Zak Crawley Unaware of Captain Stokes' Controversial 'Weak Men' Remarks
England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
