Crawley Claims Ignorance of Stokes' Controversial 'Weak Men' Remarks
The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England'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 – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
