🔗 Share this article Crawley Claims Ignorance of Captain Stokes' Controversial 'Frail Characters' Comments The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men". The all-rounder delivered those words in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month. Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad. "I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," said the England leader. But, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks." "I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued. Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind. The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches. Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle. Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in leadership. "It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test." Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon. The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs. This means, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests. Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series loss. This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively. Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century. "This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now." "There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added. "The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality." Pope's Position Under Scrutiny Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th. Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy. In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62. A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played 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 "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "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 played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men". The all-rounder delivered those words in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes versus Australia earlier this month. Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad. "I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," said the England leader. But, following Crawley made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks." "I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued. Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging The captain issued his "fragile individuals" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind. The England squad subsequently took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches. Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle. Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in leadership. "It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test." Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon. The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs. This means, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests. Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series loss. This series will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively. Not since 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century. "This is disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now." "There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added. "The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality." Pope's Position Under Scrutiny Although the opener's innings in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th. Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second knock on Saturday, extending his poor record versus the old enemy. In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62. A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played 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 "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "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 played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.