Harry Brook Admits Protecting Teammates Bethell and Tongue in Nightclub Incident

England White-ball Captain Harry Brook has admitted to misleading authorities to shield his teammates following a nightclub incident in the New Zealand capital, where he was struck by a bouncer late last year. The admission comes weeks after the incident first surfaced publicly and amid disciplinary action taken by cricket authorities.

Brook had initially claimed he was alone when he attempted to enter a Wellington nightclub on October 31, a day before the third and final one-day international against New Zealand. However, he later acknowledged that teammates Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue were also present during the incident, contradicting his earlier statement.

The England Captain made the admission on Friday after reports emerged that Bethell and Tongue had been fined and were under investigation by the cricket regulator for their involvement. In a statement released following England’s Twenty20 victory over Sri Lanka, Brook accepted responsibility for his actions and confirmed that others were with him that night.

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“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,” Brook said. He added that he had apologised and was reflecting on the matter, describing the episode as a challenging but instructive period in his career.

Brook had already been fined and issued a final warning over his conduct related to the Wellington incident, though details only became public earlier this month following England’s 4–1 Ashes series loss in Australia. He had apologised to teammates and supporters at the time and reiterated his apology ahead of the ongoing Sri Lanka tour.

The episode has also prompted broader scrutiny of player conduct. The England and Wales Cricket Board is reviewing alcohol-related incidents involving the team during tours of New Zealand and Australia. As a precautionary measure, the board has imposed a midnight curfew on players while touring the subcontinent, underscoring efforts to tighten discipline and prevent similar controversies in the future.

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