🔗 Share this article Crawley Unaware of Stokes' Provocative 'Weak Men' Comments The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men". Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month. In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group. "I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader. However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks." "I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added. Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down. The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches. Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series. Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge. "It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this Test." The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon. The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435. This means, Australia need four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests. A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat. This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively. The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century. "It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point." "There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued. "The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality." Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th. The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy. In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62. A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average. However, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team." "The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank." "He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
The English opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men". Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia earlier this month. In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group. "I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader. However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks." "I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added. Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy Stokes issued his "fragile individuals" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down. The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third matches. Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series. Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge. "It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this Test." The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon. The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435. This means, Australia need four wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests. A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat. This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively. The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century. "It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point." "There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued. "The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality." Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th. The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy. In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62. A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average. However, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team." "The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank." "He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.