🔗 Share this article Zak Crawley Unaware of Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Remarks The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude". Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month. In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain 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. But, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that." "I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added. Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind. The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches. Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series. Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge. "The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game." Australia Close of Historic Series Victory The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon. Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435. Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests. Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss. This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively. The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era. "This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point." "There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added. "The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why." Pope's Position In Question Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day. Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia. In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62. A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average. However, Crawley insisted any notion 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 productive year if I'm honest." "He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude". Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month. In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain 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. But, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that." "I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added. Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind. The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches. Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series. Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge. "The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game." Australia Close of Historic Series Victory The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon. Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435. Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests. Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes loss. This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively. The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era. "This is disappointing," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point." "There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added. "The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why." Pope's Position In Question Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day. Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia. In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62. A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average. However, Crawley insisted any notion 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 productive year if I'm honest." "He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.