The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
