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

The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".

Stokes delivered this message in several conversations following England's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia previously.

Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.

"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.

However, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "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 media with some skepticism," he added.

Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy

Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.

The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.

Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.

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

"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."

Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph

The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.

Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.

Consequently, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.

Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.

This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.

The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined 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 win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."

"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.

"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."

Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny

Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.

Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.

Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.

A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.

However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."

"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."

"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.