The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, 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 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 Noosa between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
