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

England opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".

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

Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.

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

However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."

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

Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy

Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.

The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.

Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.

Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.

"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this game."

The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory

Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.

Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.

Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.

A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.

This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.

Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.

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

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

"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."

Ollie Pope's Place In Question

Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.

Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.

In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.

A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.

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

"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."

"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.