Zak Crawley Unaware of Captain Stokes' Controversial 'Frail Characters' Remarks

England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".

Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.

Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.

"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.

However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate 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 a pinch of salt," he added.

Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy

The captain made the "weak men" comment after England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.

The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.

Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.

Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.

"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. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."

The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph

The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.

The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.

This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.

A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.

This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.

Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.

"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."

"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.

"It's been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."

Pope's Place Under Scrutiny

Although the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.

Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.

Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.

Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.

However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."

"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."

"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.