Zak Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Weak Men' Comments

The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".

Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia previously.

Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.

"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.

However, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."

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

Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging

Stokes issued his "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.

The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.

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

Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge.

"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."

The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory

Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.

The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.

This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.

A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.

This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.

The last time 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. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.

"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "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'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.

"It's been difficult. 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 have demonstrated their quality."

Pope's Position In Question

While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.

The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.

In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.

A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.

But, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."

"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."

"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.