The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room 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 versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" comment after England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "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 some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
