🔗 Share this article Zak Crawley Claims Ignorance of Stokes' Controversial 'Frail Characters' Remarks The English opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men". Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month. Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad. "I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader. However, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that." "I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added. Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down. The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests. Prior to this match, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series. Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge. "The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this game." The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon. The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435. Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests. A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss. This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each. Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era. "It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point." "There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added. "The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality." Pope's Place In Question While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day. The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia. Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62. Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average. But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp." "We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank." "He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
The English opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men". Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month. Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad. "I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader. However, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that." "I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added. Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down. The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests. Prior to this match, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the series. Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge. "The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this game." The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon. The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435. Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests. A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss. This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each. Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era. "It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point." "There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added. "The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality." Pope's Place In Question While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day. The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia. Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62. Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average. But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp." "We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank." "He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.