The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he concluded.
