Zak Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Weak Men' Remarks

The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".

The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.

Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.

"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.

However, after Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."

"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.

Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging

Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.

The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.

Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.

Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.

"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this game."

Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph

The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

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

Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead with three Tests.

Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.

This series will be completed in only eleven days of play – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.

Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.

"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."

"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.

"It's been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."

Pope's Position In Question

Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.

The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.

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

A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.

However, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."

"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."

"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.