Brook says he lied to protect England teammates in NZ nightclub incident

COLOMBO: England white-ball captain Harry Brook said on Friday he lied that he was alone in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand late last year to protect his teammates and that he is learning from that incident.

A Daily Telegraph report on January 8 said Brook was struck by a nightclub bouncer after being denied entry to the venue on October 31. England were playing in New Zealand at the time.

The 26-year-old subsequently apologised for his behaviour, which he felt “brought embarrassment” to him and his team.

In a statement issued on Friday, Brook acknowledged he was not the only English player at the scene.

“I accept responsibility for my actions in Wellington and acknowledge that others were present that evening,” said the 26-year-old, who is currently leading England in a Twenty20 series in Sri Lanka.

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“I regret my previous comments and my intention was to protect my teammates from being drawn into a situation that arose as a result of my own decisions.

“I have apologised and will continue to reflect on the matter. This has been a challenging period in my career, but one from which I am learning.

“I recognise that I have more to learn regarding the off-field responsibilities that come with leadership and captaincy.”

Brook led England to victory in the one-day series in Sri Lanka and they are 1-0 ahead in the subsequent T20 series against their hosts.

Brook and his team will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Nepal in Mumbai on February 8.