England opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in several conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. 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 came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
