🔗 Share this article Zak Crawley Claims Ignorance of Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Remarks The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude". Stokes made this message in several interviews following England's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month. In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group. "I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader. However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, 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 a pinch of salt," he added. Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down. The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests. Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle. Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership. "The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game." The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon. The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435. Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three matches played. A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat. The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each. Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century. "This is 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'll certainly approach it like that," he continued. "It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality." Pope's Place Under Scrutiny While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th. The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy. In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62. Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average. But, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp." "The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest." "He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude". Stokes made this message in several interviews following England's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month. In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group. "I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader. However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, 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 a pinch of salt," he added. Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down. The team subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests. Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle. Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership. "The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game." The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon. The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435. Consequently, the home team require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three matches played. A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat. The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each. Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century. "This is 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'll certainly approach it like that," he continued. "It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality." Pope's Place Under Scrutiny While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th. The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy. In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62. Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average. But, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp." "The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest." "He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.