England opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term future 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 innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
