The English opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
