Zak Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Remarks
The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "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 issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
