The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"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 Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
