The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
