The English opener Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"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," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
