The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" within 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 made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" comment after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
