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

The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".

Stokes delivered those words in several conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia previously.

In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message 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 Stokes.

However, after the opener made 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. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.

Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging

Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.

The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and third Tests.

Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.

Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in leadership.

"It's been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special going into this Test."

The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph

Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.

Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.

This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.

A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.

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

The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.

"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."

"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.

"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."

Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny

Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.

Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.

In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.

Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.

However, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."

"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."

"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.