The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "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 of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
