LONDON, April 2, 2026 (V7N) –  England white-ball captain Harry Brook and team-mate Jacob Bethell have been cautioned about their future conduct following a nightclub incident during the pre-Ashes tour of New Zealand last year.  

The Cricket Regulator — an independent body enforcing player conduct rules — issued warnings to both players on Wednesday after finding them in breach of professional regulations.  

Brook was originally fined £30,000 ($40,000) by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and given a final warning after an altercation with a bouncer in Wellington on November 1, the eve of a one-day international. He initially claimed he was alone but later admitted Bethell and fast bowler Josh Tongue were present, apologising for lying to protect his team-mates.  

Brook and Bethell both played in the match the following day, which England lost by two wickets to complete a 3-0 series defeat. No action was taken against Tongue, who was not part of the ODI squad.  

The Regulator said both players accepted they were in breach of conduct rules.  

Brook’s retention of the captaincy for the T20 World Cup, where England reached the semi-finals before losing to India, was seen by many as controversial.  

England’s off-field behaviour during the Ashes series in Australia also drew criticism, with allegations of poor preparation, questionable team selection, and a “drinking culture.” Players were photographed spending long hours in bars, and a video of Ben Duckett appearing intoxicated circulated on social media.  

Despite the criticism, Test captain Ben Stokes, coach Brendon McCullum, and director of men’s cricket Rob Key all retained their positions after an ECB review of the tour.  

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