Crawley not aware of Stokes’ ‘weak men’ comments

Opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not aware of comments made by Ben Stokes when the England captain said his dressing room is “not a place for weak men”.

Stokes made the statement in multiple interviews following England’s defeat in the second Ashes Test against Australia earlier this month.

In the run-up to the third Test, in which England are set to be beaten to lose the series at the earliest opportunity, Stokes said he had let his message “drift around” his players.

“I’ve done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done,” said the all-rounder.

But after Crawley made 85 on the fourth day of the third Test in Adelaide, he said: “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.”

Stokes made the “weak men” comment after England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.

The England squad subsequently went on holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.

Before this match in Adelaide, Stokes said his team had held “raw” conversations. The captain also asked his players to “show a bit of dog” in their battle to remain in the series.

But Kent’s Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in charge.

“It’s been very positive, the same as always,” said Crawley. “[It’s] just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special going into this game.”

Crawley’s dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

Lyon’s three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.

It means Australia need four wickets on Sunday’s final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.

A loss will extend England’s winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.

This series will be completed in 11 days of cricket – England lost the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.

Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.

“It’s disappointing,” said Crawley. “We came here to win the Ashes and we’re staring down the barrel now.

“There will still be plenty to play for and we’ll definitely view it like that.

“It’s been tough. They’re a very, very good side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the favourites coming in to it and they’ve proven why.”

While Crawley’s knock in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his place in the fourth Test on Boxing Day in Melbourne.

Pope was out for 17 in England’s second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against Australia.

In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.

Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.

But Crawley said any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from “you guys” – meaning the media – “not inside the camp”.

“We all know how good of a player he is,” added Crawley. “He has had a good year if I’m honest.

“He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. [There’s] no chat like that on Ollie in the camp.”