Crawley Claims Ignorance of Stokes' Controversial 'Weak Men' Remarks

England opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".

Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.

Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.

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

But, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."

"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.

Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy

Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" 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.

Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.

Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.

"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."

Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph

The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.

The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.

Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.

A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series loss.

The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.

The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.

"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."

"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.

"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."

Pope's Place Under Scrutiny

While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.

The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record against Australia.

Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.

Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.

But, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."

"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."

"He has produced several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.