The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"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," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
