Crawley Unaware of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Remarks
The English opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in several interviews following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "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. This is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
