The English opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is 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 Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
