In an interview, Brook, who agreed with his teammates on the midnight curfew in Sri Lanka, revealed that he had apologized to the England team. But he refused to specify the exact circumstances of the accident in the nightclub or who was with him.
The England captain described how the lead was claimed midway through the third ODI at the Sky Stadium in Wellington.
Harry Brook exchanges words with Australia’s Jake Weatherald during the fifth Ashes Test. Credit: Getty Images
“I told them in the middle of the game,” he said. “I felt I had to think about it and try to come up with a plan to deny what had happened.
In that match, England first fell to 4-31 batting, with Brook out for six off 11 balls. The tourists lost the match by two wickets and were beaten 3–0 in the series.
“Obviously I made a terrible mistake, not just as a player but as a captain,” Brook said. “It’s very unprofessional and I should be leading from the front and showing the players how it should be as a professional cricketer and captain. I put myself in a bad situation which I shouldn’t have done.”
He said he understood fans’ anger at the team, saying he was “extremely sorry” to teammates, fans and the ECB “for putting them in a difficult situation”. “It will never happen again,” he added.
“I felt I had to think about it and try to come up with a plan to deny what had happened.
Harry Brook on his decision to wait before speaking to team management
Earlier on the night in question, Brook had gone to get some food when his teammates decided “let’s go for a drink”. “We didn’t intend to go out, we didn’t intend to get into a difficult situation,” he said.
The police were not involved and Brook was not injured after the punch, but he said it “definitely crossed my mind” that he might be fired. He never considered resigning, but added: “If they sacked me as captain I would be perfectly fine with it as long as I was still playing cricket for England.
Asked if he was lucky to still be on the job, he added: “A little bit, yeah.”
Harry Brook’s batting during the nets in Sri Lanka.Credit: Getty Images
Rumors of sleeping on a park bench are ‘completely false’
When pressed about why the bouncer hit him, Brook said: “I was just trying to get into the club and unfortunately the bouncer timed me… I wouldn’t say I was completely skinned. I had too many drinks.”
There were rumors that Brook ended up sleeping on a park bench, but he said such claims were “completely untrue”. “I was back in my hotel room,” he added.
Stokes, who was involved in a brawl outside a Bristol nightclub in 2017, was “not exactly pleased” with Brook’s antics, he said.
“But he tried to help me with it and he knows exactly what it’s like to be in that situation,” said England’s white-ball captain. “We had a few conversations but we quickly moved on from that and tried to look forward to the Ashes and what we can do to win it.
Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum oversaw England’s 4-1 series loss in Australia.Credit: Getty Images
Brook endured a disappointing Ashes tour as he failed to live up to his status as the world’s No.2 Test batsman. He scored just two fifties in 10 innings. However, he denied that the commotion had an impact on his game. “I don’t think it affected my performances at all,” he said.
Despite being photographed drinking in Noosa, he insisted the team “drink responsibly, apart from one situation”.
“Other than that we were in complete control of what we were doing and we were just going out and drinking, it wasn’t anything stupid,” insisted Brook.
“I don’t think there’s a drinking culture at all. We’re all old enough and mature enough to be able to say no if we don’t want to drink, and mature enough to be able to say yes if you want to drink.”
Joe Root and Harry Brook at the SCG.Credit: Getty Images
A stormy winter for England has left Brendon McCullum’s future as coach in doubt beyond next month’s T20 World Cup. Rob Key, the chief executive of cricket, is expected to survive the post-Ashes review.
The ECB has shown a desire to keep the hierarchy – including Stokes, whose position also appears secure – in place, with adjustments in approach and culture.
“Fans have every right to be angry”
Brook confirmed that the midnight curfew in Sri Lanka was “made as a group decision” to “put us in situations where we can win cricket and perform at our best”.
But he said “a few drinks here and there if you drink responsibly” was not a problem during the Ashes.
“I think we’ve been outmatched the whole series,” Brook said. “We didn’t just go out and get skinned every day. We had a few drinks here and there. We played a lot of golf, went to nice cafes, had coffee, but we had a few drinks here and there. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It’s just what human beings do.”
Brook admitted he now has to prove himself to the players and fans.
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“I think I’ve got a bit of work to do to try to regain the confidence of the players,” he said. “I apologized to them yesterday. I felt I had to apologize for my actions. As a player it’s not acceptable, but as a captain it’s really unacceptable to do what I did in New Zealand. I’ll be the first to say it. I’m holding my hands up.”
Supporters, he said, had “every right to be angry”. “As a player it’s not acceptable to do what I did, but as a captain it’s completely out of line,” he added. “I should never have been put in this situation.
Richard Gould and Richard Thompson, the ECB’s chief executive and chairman respectively, were reviewing the Ashes campaign, which England lost 4-1 despite much pre-series optimism.
Brook launched a spirited defense under fire from McCullum. “He’s the best head coach I’ve had by a million miles,” said the white-ball captain. “It makes you feel like you can go out and do anything; it gives you the freedom to do anything.”
When asked about the pressure on the coach, he added: “Every tour we go to we want to try to win. We want to win every game. It’s a big series against a strong team in their own conditions and it’s a good preparation for the T20 World Cup.”
Telegraph, London
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