🔗 Share this article Zak Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Provocative 'Frail Characters' Comments England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude". The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month. Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group. "I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader. But, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that." "I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued. Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind. The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests. Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series. Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in leadership. "It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test." Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon. The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435. Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played. Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat. The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each. The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era. "This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now." "There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued. "The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality." Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th. Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy. In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62. A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average. However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp." "The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest." "He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude". The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month. Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group. "I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader. But, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that." "I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued. Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind. The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests. Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series. Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in leadership. "It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test." Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph The opener's dismissal on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon. The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435. Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played. Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat. The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each. The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era. "This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now." "There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued. "The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality." Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th. Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy. In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of 17.62. A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average. However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp." "The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest." "He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.