Zak Crawley Claims Ignorance of Stokes' Provocative 'Weak Men' Remarks

The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".

Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.

In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.

"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.

However, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."

"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.

Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging

The captain made the "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.

The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.

Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.

Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.

"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this game."

The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph

Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.

The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.

Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.

Defeat would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.

The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.

Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.

"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."

"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.

"It's been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."

Ollie Pope's Place In Question

Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.

The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.

In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.

Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.

However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."

"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."

"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.