England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – 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 move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough coming here against them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
