🔗 Share this article Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Remarks England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude". Stokes delivered those words in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month. Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad. "I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader. But, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that." "I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued. Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind. The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches. Prior to this match, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series. Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership. "The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test." Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon. Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435. Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played. Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat. This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each. Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era. "This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now." "There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued. "It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why." Pope's Position Under Scrutiny While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day. The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy. Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62. A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average. However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp." "We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest." "He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude". Stokes delivered those words in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes against the Australians earlier this month. Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad. "I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader. But, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that." "I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued. Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind. The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches. Prior to this match, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series. Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership. "The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test." Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon. Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435. Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played. Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat. This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each. Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era. "This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now." "There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued. "It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why." Pope's Position Under Scrutiny While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day. The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy. Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62. A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average. However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp." "We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest." "He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.