The English opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's 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 Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
