England opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments made by captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
