England opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley made a knock of 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 press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
