The English opening batter Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 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. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. It is noise externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
