Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Controversial 'Weak Men' Remarks
England opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," 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 two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed 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 eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
