Harry Brook Admits Other England Players Were Also Involved in Wellington Nightclub Incident

England’s white-ball captain Harry Brook has admitted that he was not alone in the Wellington nightclub “assault” incident in New Zealand. Other players were present with him.

Last week, Brook had told the media that he had gone out alone the night before the November 1 One Day International match in Wellington. However, in a statement released on Friday, the Yorkshire cricketer acknowledged that other players were present and that he had previously “concealed the truth to protect them from being drawn into an unwanted situation.”

The statement follows a report by The Daily Telegraph, which mentioned that Brook and two colleagues, Jacob Bethell and Josh Tong, could face investigation by cricket authorities.

Brook said:

“I take responsibility for my actions in Wellington and acknowledge that other players were present that night.
I regret my earlier statements. My intention was to protect my colleagues from a situation that arose due to my own decisions.
I have apologized and continue to reflect on the matter. This is a challenging period in my career, but I am learning from it.
I recognize that there is more to learn about the responsibilities that come with leadership and captaincy. I am committed to improving myself personally and professionally in this regard.”

Brook took over the leadership of England’s white-ball team last summer, and the New Zealand tour was his first overseas series as captain. The 26-year-old was involved in the incident the night before the third ODI in Wellington, which England lost.

Following the incident, he was fined and given a final warning. However, news of the incident and the sanction emerged more than two months later, after England lost the series 4–1 against Australia following the final Test.

In an interview with BBC Sport last week, Brook said he had no desire to go into detail about the Wellington incident. He said the situation began when “some players went out to get food.”

“We had no intention of going out, no plan to put ourselves in a risky situation. I went out for a few drinks myself, alone. I shouldn’t have been there.
I wanted to enter the club, a bouncer hit me, unfortunately. I was not intoxicated, just had a few extra drinks.”

England Cricket Director Rob Key stated that Brook had informed the ECB immediately after the incident, and the board conducted an investigation at the time.

The Daily Telegraph report noted that the cricket authority is reviewing documents from the ECB concerning Brook, Bethell, and Tong and preparing a report. The authority, established in 2023 and led by former Lincolnshire Chief Constable Chris Howard, can operate independently and impose fines or suspensions for breaches of discipline.