Crawley Claims Ignorance of Stokes' Provocative 'Weak Men' Comments

The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".

Stokes made those words in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.

In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.

"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.

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

"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.

Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy

The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.

The team afterwards took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.

Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the series.

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

"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said 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 going into this Test."

Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph

Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435.

This means, the home team require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.

A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.

The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.

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

"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."

"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.

"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."

Pope's Place Under Scrutiny

Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.

The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.

In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.

Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.

However, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."

"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."

"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.