The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test 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 revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
