The English opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from captain Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
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 a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
