🔗 Share this article Crawley Claims Ignorance of Stokes' Controversial 'Frail Characters' Remarks England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude". Stokes made those words in several conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month. Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group. "I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes. However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that." "I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added. Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging Stokes made the "weak men" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind. The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests. Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series. Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge. "The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game." Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon. The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs. This means, Australia require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests. A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat. The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively. Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era. "This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now." "There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued. "The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality." Pope's Position Under Scrutiny While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day. Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia. In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62. Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average. But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp." "The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest." "He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.
England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude". Stokes made those words in several conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month. Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" within the playing group. "I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes. However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that." "I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added. Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging Stokes made the "weak men" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind. The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests. Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series. Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge. "The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game." Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon. The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs. This means, Australia require four wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three Tests. A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat. The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively. Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era. "This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now." "There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," he continued. "The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality." Pope's Position Under Scrutiny While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day. Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia. In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62. Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average. But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp." "The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest." "He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.