The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
