The English opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
