The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in several interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate 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.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
