š Share this article Zak Crawley Unaware of Captain Stokes' Controversial 'Weak Men' Comments The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude". Stokes made those words in several conversations following England's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month. Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group. "I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes. However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks." "I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued. Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind. The England squad afterwards took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests. Prior to this match, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle. Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge. "It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this Test." The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon. The spinner's three wickets in a short spell ā he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself ā left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs. Consequently, the home team need four wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests. A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat. This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play ā with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each. Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century. "It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now." "There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added. "It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why." Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th. The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia. In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62. Only one other English batsman since 1900 ā Dennis Amiss ā has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average. However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" ā referring to the journalists ā "and not within the team." "We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank." "He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude". Stokes made those words in several conversations following England's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month. Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group. "I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes. However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks." "I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued. Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind. The England squad afterwards took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests. Prior to this match, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle. Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge. "It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this Test." The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon. The spinner's three wickets in a short spell ā he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself ā left England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs. Consequently, the home team need four wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests. A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat. This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play ā with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each. Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century. "It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now." "There remains plenty to play for and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added. "It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why." Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th. The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia. In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62. Only one other English batsman since 1900 ā Dennis Amiss ā has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average. However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" ā referring to the journalists ā "and not within the team." "We all know of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a productive year to be frank." "He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.