England opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before this match, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 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 the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," he finished.