The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a holiday to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
