Crawley Unaware of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Remarks

England opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".

Stokes made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia previously.

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

"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.

But, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."

"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.

Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging

Stokes issued his "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.

The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.

Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.

Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.

"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."

Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory

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

The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.

Consequently, Australia require four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.

A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.

This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.

The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.

"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."

"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.

"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."

Ollie Pope's Position In Question

Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.

Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.

In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.

Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.

However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."

"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."

"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There is no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.