The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth 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 everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
