Harry Brook on last warning after pre-Ashes altercation with nightclub bouncer

England vice captain Harry Brook is on a final warning about his conduct after a late-night altercation with a bouncer just hours before captaining England on the tour that preceded the Ashes.

Brook was close to being sacked as captain of England’s white-ball team after an investigation by the team’s management into the incident, in which he was struck by a bouncer who would not allow him into a nightclub. Brook was fined around £30,000 ($60,000), the maximum amount possible by the ECB, for the incident.

England’s conduct during the Ashes, which started shortly after the tour to New Zealand, has been heavily criticised – in particular a mid-series holiday to Noosa where players, including Brook, were pictured drinking.

Ben Duckett was also filmed apparently drunk and disoriented late at night by an England fan.

It can now be revealed that Brook, England’s Test vice-captain, was already on a final warning for his behaviour before arriving in Australia.

The altercation occurred in Wellington on October 31 after the 26-year-old was refused entry to a nightclub because security suspected he was drunk. Brook became embroiled in a row with a bouncer and was struck, although he did not suffer any injury.

Harry Brook exchanges words with Australia’s Jake Weatherald at the SCG on Thursday.Credit: Getty Images

It is understood that Brook reported himself to management and there was no third-party complaint, but he was lucky to survive as captain considering the incident happened the night before a match.

The match in question was the third ODI at the Sky Stadium in Wellington, a day-nighter that started at 2pm. England slumped to 31 for four batting first with Brook out for six off 11 balls. They lost the match by two wickets, and were beaten 3-0 in the series.

An ECB spokesperson said: “We are aware of this incident and it has been dealt with through a formal and confidential ECB disciplinary process. The player involved has apologised and acknowledged their conduct fell below expectations on this occasion.”

He was fined the maximum amount allowed under the England central contract protocols, which is four per cent of the player’s retainer. For Brook, that would be around £30,000.

Harry Brook during the New Zealand tour in October.Credit: Getty Images

Brook apologised for his behaviour in a statement released to the London Telegraph. “I want to apologise for my actions. I fully accept that my behaviour was wrong and brought embarrassment to both myself and the England team.

“Representing England is the greatest honour of all, which I take seriously and I am deeply sorry for letting down my team-mates, coaches and supporters. I have reflected on the lessons it has taught me about responsibility, professionalism and the standards expected of those representing your country.

“I am determined to learn from this mistake and to rebuild trust through my future actions, both on and off the field. I apologise unreservedly and will work hard to ensure this does not happen again.”

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Since being put on a final warning, Brook has endured a disappointing Ashes tour, failing to live up to his standing as the world’s No.2-ranked batsman in Test cricket. He scored just two 50s in ten innings.

During the team’s time in Wellington at the end of October, a group of players, including Brook, were filmed drinking in a rooftop bar on the night in question. However, the altercation involving Brook was separate to that and happened later.

The players in that group, which included England’s new star Jacob Bethell and Gus Atkinson, did not face any formal disciplinary action.

Rob Key, the England director of cricket, was asked about the players drinking the night before a match after reports emerged of boozy behaviour on the mid-Ashes series break in Noosa. At the time, he was referring to the players filmed in the bar and not the Brook altercation.

Key said: “There wasn’t any action, like formal action. We’ve had four years where we’ve had none of these issues really, with any of the players. And there’s a whole process that we put in place for stuff like that for what you do if they’re out of line. And I didn’t feel like that was worthy of formal warnings. But it was probably worthy of informal ones.”

Andrew Strauss imposed a midnight curfew on the England team after Jonny Bairstow was accused of a playful headbutt on Australia’s Cameron Bancroft in a bar at the start of the 2017-18 Ashes tour. It followed Ben Stokes’s notorious arrest in Bristol.

The curfew was unpopular with the players and management but remained in place until McCullum and Stokes took over in 2022. They preferred to let the players take responsibility for their actions and be held accountable if they misbehaved.

Brook was made England white-ball captain in place of Jos Buttler in March last year and promoted to the Test vice-captaincy for the Ashes, replacing Ollie Pope, and is being groomed to be Stokes’ replacement.

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