Zak Crawley Unaware of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Remarks
England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
