PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka (AP) — England’s white-ball captain Harry Brook admitted on Friday that he lied to protect his teammates after an incident with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand.
Initially, Brook stated he was alone on October 31 when trying to enter the nightclub in Wellington, just before the last one-day International against New Zealand.
However, after the Telegraph reported that teammates Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue faced fines for their involvement and were under investigation by the Cricket regulator, Brook acknowledged he was not alone and issued a statement following England’s T20I match against Sri Lanka.
“I take responsibility for my actions in Wellington and acknowledge that others were present that evening,” Brook said.
“I regret my earlier comments, as my intention was to shield my teammates from being implicated in the situation caused by my own decisions.
“I have apologized and will reflect on this. It has been a tough time in my career, but I am learning from it.”
Brook was fined and given a final warning regarding his behavior during the Wellington incident. The details only came to light after the Ashes series, where England lost 4-1 in Australia.
Brook apologized to his teammates and supporters at the time and reiterated his apology before the ongoing Sri Lanka tour.
The England and Wales Cricket Board is reviewing incidents involving player conduct related to drinking during the tours in New Zealand and Australia, leading to a midnight curfew for players while in the subcontinent.