The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we could do something special going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
