England opening batter Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, 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 some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming 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 likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer 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," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
