Zak Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Weak Men' Comments

The English opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".

Stokes delivered those words in several interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.

In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.

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

But, following the opener scored 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 everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.

Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging

Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.

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

Before this match, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.

Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in charge.

"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."

Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory

Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.

Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.

Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three Tests.

Defeat will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.

The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.

The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.

"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."

"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.

"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."

Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny

While Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.

Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.

In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.

A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.

But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."

"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."

"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.