The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews following England's defeat in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth 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 media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed 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 England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
