England white-ball captain Harry Brook and star batsman Jacob Bethell have been cautioned following an investigation into their conduct during England’s tour of New Zealand last year. An incident involving an altercation with a Wellington nightclub bouncer has now been formally dealt with by authorities.
The episode dates back to October, on the eve of the ODI, when Brook was hit during a confrontation outside a nightclub. While he initially claimed he was alone, he later admitted he misrepresented the situation to protect teammates. The matter was investigated by the Cricket Regulator, who have now concluded their findings.
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“As a result of these investigations, the regulator has issued cautionary notices to Harry Brook and Jacob Bethell in relation to their conduct during that night,” the cricket regulator said in a statement.
“No further action will be taken by the regulator in relation to Josh Tongue,” the cricket regulator said.
The incident attracted attention not only for the altercation itself, but also for the delayed clarification surrounding it. Brook was later fined and given a final warning, with details only emerging after England’s Ashes campaign in Australia, which they lost 4-1.
The controversy also came amid wider scrutiny of England’s off-field behavior during that tour, including reports of heavy drinking during the mid-series break. Brook, 27, later issued a public apology, he admitted that fans had “every right to be upset” by his actions.
WHAT WAS WELLINGTON OF ENGLAND
The incident happened overnight in Wellington, where Brook, Bethell and Josh Tongue were in attendance ahead of the one-day international.
Brook was involved in a confrontation with a nightclub bouncer and was hit during the exchange. He stated immediately afterwards that he was alone, but later clarified that other teammates were present and that he had chosen not to reveal this at first.
The cricket regulator found that both Brook and Bethell had breached professional conduct regulations, leading to the issuing of cautions. No action was taken against England pacer Josh Tongue, who was not part of the ODI squad at the time but was training with the team.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
02 Apr 2026 09:03 IST
