Zak Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Comments

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

The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.

Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the playing group.

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

But, following the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."

"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.

Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy

The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.

The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.

Before this match, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.

Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.

"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."

The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory

Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.

Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three Tests.

Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.

The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.

The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.

"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."

"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.

"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."

Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny

While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.

The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his poor record against 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 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.

But, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."

"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."

"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.