England's Harry Brook backtracks over bouncer incident as Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue reportedly investigated

England's white-ball captain, Harry Brook, has backtracked on his initial comments about a clash with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand. Brook had initially said he was alone when the incident occurred, but later issued a statement apologizing for his previous comments and stating that others were present.

The incident took place the night before a one-day international match in November, which England lost by two wickets as they slumped to a 3-0 series defeat. Brook had been fined £30,000 by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and warned about his conduct after the incident.

According to reports, batter Jacob Bethell and fast bowler Josh Tongue were also involved in the incident and have been fined and are being investigated by the Cricket Regulator. The Cricket Regulator is a body independent from the ECB that has the power to bring disrepute charges, including fines and suspensions, if enough evidence is found.

In his statement, Brook said he "regrets" his previous comments and was trying to protect his team-mates. He acknowledged that others were present during the incident and apologized for any embarrassment caused. Brook vowed to learn from the experience and continue to develop as a leader.

The incident has raised concerns about the off-field behavior of England players, particularly in relation to drinking culture. ECB chief-executive officer Richard Gould released a statement saying a "thorough review" was already underway, covering tour planning, individual performance and behaviors, and the ability to adapt and respond effectively.

As a result, a midnight curfew for players has been issued during the tour of Sri Lanka. The team will also be required to attend an education workshop on managing their personal lives away from cricket.

oh noooo i was really looking forward to seeing england bounce back from that 3-0 series loss in new zealand... but now with all these off-field issues coming up, it's like they're being penalized twice the whole thing with harry brook and jacob bethell is just so disappointing at least he apologized for his part though hopefully they can all learn from this and come back stronger in sri lanka

man that's wild bro harry brook was all over the news after that nightclub incident in new zealand lol what a mess he tried to cover it up at first but then owned up and apologized he's a leader on the field but clearly needs to work on his life off the pitch too maybe those midnights curfew and education workshop thingies will help him get his head back in the game

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing . First off, I gotta give credit to Harry Brook for owning up to his mistake and apologizing, that takes a big man . But it's pretty surprising he changed his story like that, seems kinda sketchy . I don't think we've seen the last of this incident, with Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue getting fined and all . The ECB's been on the defensive about drinking culture too, which is a whole other can of worms . Midnight curfew in Sri Lanka? That's some serious stuff .

I'm still not convinced about Brook's explanation ... one minute he says he was alone, next minute he claims others were there too . How can we trust what he's saying now? And £30k fine for being clumsy in a nightclub? seems like a stretch to me . What really went down that night and why did it take him so long to own up to his mistake? Need some more info on this one ...

I gotta say, I'm not buying Harry Brook's apology just yet... He goes and changes his story like that? It feels a bit suspicious. I get it, he didn't want to besmirch his team-mates' names, but come on, be honest for once! And now the ECB is cracking down with new rules? Midnight curfew, eh? That's gonna affect the social lives of these guys... who are they, exactly? Players or public figures? Either way, it's a bit too little, too late.

omg I'm like totally confused about harry brook he just changed his story like what was he thinking? and now the ECB is all up in arms about drinking culture and tour planning...like, i get it, players gotta learn to balance their personal lives with the game but a midnight curfew for sri lanka? that sounds super strict maybe they should focus on improving the pitch instead of cracking down on the players' nightlife

I dont think its fair to crucify Harry Brook over this incident . He's already apologized and said he was trying to protect his teammates, which is a pretty noble thing to do . I mean, who hasn't had a crazy night out that they regret in the morning? The fact that others were present during the incident makes it even more complicated – we dont know what really happened . Maybe Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue are being too harsh on Brook for being a bit reckless . A midnight curfew and education workshop might be a good idea, but let's not jump to conclusions just yet . We should all try to put ourselves in Brook's shoes and understand the pressures of being a professional athlete

So Brook just backtracks on his own story? That's some major damage control right there... I'm not buying it, though . If others were present at the club, why did he initially say he was alone? And now everyone else involved is getting fined and investigated... it seems like a cover-up to me . What's really going on behind closed doors? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for players learning from their mistakes, but this whole thing feels fishy . Where's the proof that Brook was "trying to protect" his teammates when he went back on his story?

"The biggest risk is not taking any risk..." - Mark Zuckerberg I think this incident just shows how serious a situation can get when you're under pressure and your actions are scrutinized by millions of fans. England's players need to be more mindful of their behavior, especially in a country where drinking culture can be a big part of the social scene. A midnight curfew and an education workshop might not be enough to change the way things are done off the field, but at least they're trying

the ECB is being super cautious here they're trying to cover all bases and avoid any more drama with the squad, which is fair i guess but at the same time it feels like they're overreacting a bit a midnight curfew for the entire tour? that's pretty drastic i mean i get what they're saying about drinking culture and players' behavior being out of control, but is a curfew really the answer?

I'm not surprised that Harry Brook went back on his initial comments - we've all said something we regret in the heat of the moment, but it's how we own up to it that matters . If he was trying to protect his teammates, maybe he should've just been honest from the start . Now, instead of damaging their reputation with a questionable story, they get an education workshop on managing their personal lives away from cricket? That's a great step towards growth and accountability! It shows that the ECB is taking steps to address the drinking culture issue head-on . We should all strive to be leaders who lead by example, not just talk about it .

OMG, what's going on with Harry Brook? He's been all over the place about that nightclub bouncer incident . First he says he was alone, then he apologizes and says others were there... like, who is he trying to protect again? His team-mates are probably wondering if they're going to get fined too.

And I'm so done with the drinking culture thing . ECB needs to do more than just slap players on the wrist over midnight curfew and an education workshop. Like, how many times does England have to lose a series because of their off-field behavior?

I know Brook says he's trying to learn from his mistake, but it feels like a PR stunt to me . Can't they just own up to their mistakes instead of trying to backtrack and apologize on social media? And what about Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue? Are they off the hook too?

OMG, like, Brook's initial comments were SO sus . I mean, who just makes up some solo drama with a bouncer? Not Harry Brook, that's for sure! Anyway, glad he owned up to it and apologized, but still, what's with the £30k fine? That's, like, super steep . And can we talk about how this whole incident has got everyone so riled up? I mean, I get that drinking culture is a thing, but come on, players, you're role models! The midnight curfew and education workshop are def necessary steps, though . ECB's already getting ahead of the game, too . Now, let's see if they can put some real change into action .

I'm so confused about Harry Brook's comments ... I mean, at first he said it was just him and the bouncer, but then he says others were there too? Like, what's going on? Did he really not remember? Or was he trying to cover for his teammates like he said? It's all so murky... And now that Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue are getting fined too, it just makes me wonder if this is a bigger issue than we thought . I guess England needs to get their house in order before the next tour ... but at the same time, shouldn't they be focusing on the cricket?

so like what's up with Harry Brook right? He was all alone when he got into that scuffle in New Zealand and then suddenly says others were there too? it's pretty weird. And £30k fine for him? That's a lot of dosh! I don't think he was entirely honest from the start... but I guess we can give him some credit for owning up to his mistakes now. the bigger question is what's going on with drinking culture in England cricket? they've already introduced a midnight curfew and an education workshop, which is cool, but it feels like a bit of a bandaid solution... maybe they should be looking at the root causes of the problem and trying to address that.

lol nice try bro , so Harry Brook just decided to come clean about who was involved in that whole nightclub bouncer drama? like, couldn't he just own up to it instead of apologizing for apologizing? and £30k fine from the ECB? what a joke , seems like the England team is really good at finding creative ways to get into trouble. and now they're implementing a midnight curfew and attendance requirements on their tour of Sri Lanka? sounds like they want to make sure everyone's having a safe and fun time... for the players, that is .

omg I'm so glad Harry Brook apologized for his comments ! He totally had no right to downplay the whole thing and now he's owning up to it . And yaaas, this is a huge step towards addressing the drinking culture in England cricket . A midnight curfew? That's strict but I get why they need to do that . It's not just about the players' behavior on the field, but also how they carry themselves off it . This tour of Sri Lanka is going to be a big test for England to show they're serious about changing their ways . Fingers crossed!

man this is wild bro harry brook is always saying something and then he just reverses it like what's up with that anyway it's not good for the game when players are acting out like that and now they're gonna have to go to some workshop about managing their personal lives lol like can't they do that on their own? and a midnight curfew? that sounds super restrictive but hey at least they're trying to address the issue

omg u guys I'm literally shook about this news like what happened with harry brook and that nightclub bouncer?? initially he said it was just him but then comes out and says others were there idk how he could just lie like that to his fans anyway i feel bad for him cuz he's trying to protect his teammates but at the same time it's kinda embarrassing when u get caught lying and now they're all getting fined and having to go through some workshop thingy about managing their personal life it's crazy how much pressure these cricketers are under