Zak Crawley Unaware of Stokes' Controversial 'Frail Characters' Comments

England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".

Stokes made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.

In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.

"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.

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

"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.

Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy

Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.

The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.

Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.

Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.

"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."

Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory

Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.

Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.

This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.

Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.

This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.

Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.

"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."

"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.

"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."

Ollie Pope's Place In Question

Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.

Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia.

Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.

A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.

But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."

"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."

"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.