The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"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. It is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
