Crawley Unaware of Stokes' Controversial 'Weak Men' Comments

The English opening batter Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".

Stokes made this message in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.

Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed 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 the England leader.

But, following the opener scored 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.

Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging

The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.

The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.

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

Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.

"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."

The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph

Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.

The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.

Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.

Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.

The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.

Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.

"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."

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

"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."

Ollie Pope's Position In Question

Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.

The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.

Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.

Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.

However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."

"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."

"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.