England opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made this message in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst 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 target of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"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 played several excellent innings. It is talk externally. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
