Zak Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Controversial 'Frail Characters' Remarks

The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".

The all-rounder made those words in several interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.

In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.

"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.

But, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."

"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.

Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy

The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment after his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.

The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.

Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.

Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.

"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."

Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory

Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.

Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.

Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.

The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.

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

"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."

"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.

"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."

Ollie Pope's Position In Question

Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.

Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.

In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.

A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.

However, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."

"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."

"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.