England white-ball captain Harry Brook has admitted he was untruthful in his initial account of the incident at a Wellington nightclub last year, revealing he lied to protect his team-mates. The clarification marks a reversal from Brook, who previously claimed he was alone on the night in question.
The incident took place on October 31 in Wellington, on the eve of England’s final ODI against New Zealand. Brook said he acted alone when he was involved in a late-night altercation with a nightclub bouncer. After England’s recent T20I win over Sri Lanka and fresh news, Brook admitted that other players were present and explained why he chose to take the blame at the time.
“I accept responsibility for my actions in Wellington and acknowledge that others were present that evening,” Brook said in a statement.
“I regret my previous comments and my intention was to protect my teammates from being drawn into a situation that arose as a result of my own decisions.”
The admission followed a report by The Telegraph which revealed that Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue had been fined and were being investigated by the cricket regulator. Brook added that he apologized and accepted the consequences of his actions.
“I have apologized and will continue to reflect on the matter. It was a challenging time in my career, but one that I am learning from,” he added.
England’s problems off the field: Noosa row
Brook was fined £30,000 by the England and Wales Cricket Board and issued a final warning. The episode only came to light this month, after a humiliating Ashes defeat in Australia, a tour that laid bare concerns beyond the results.
England’s problems off the pitch have come increasingly into the spotlight in recent months. The ECB has opened an investigation what happened during a four day trip to Noosa ahead of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide. Videos that emerged online showed Ben Duckett looking visibly drunk and Bethell vaping in a nightclub, sparking debate over whether players were overstepping the bounds on their time off.
In response, the ECB tightened controls on travel, imposing measures such as midnight curfews to strengthen discipline and responsibility. Brook’s admission to Wellington now sits within that wider reckoning as England attempt to restore standards after a bruising period on and off the pitch.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
January 31, 2026
