The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, he said his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
