Crawley Unaware of Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Comments
The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth 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 media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
