England opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "raw" conversations 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 head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
