England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
But, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
