The wash-up of England's Ashes defeat has gone from bad to worse, with revelations Harry Brook was on his last warning during the series for behavioural issues, which former captain Michael Vaughan admits didn't come as a surprise.
The London Telegraph revealed after the SCG Test ended that Brook was involved in a late-night altercation with a bouncer during England's white-ball tour of New Zealand before the Ashes and was fined £30,000 ($60,000 AUD) by the ECB.
The report states Brook's incident happened the night before he captained the side in Wellington. New Zealand won that match by two wickets with Brook scoring 6 off 11.
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The England Cricket Board addressed the situation in a statement.
"We are aware of this incident and it has been dealt with through a formal and confidential ECB disciplinary process," it read.
"The player involved has apologised and acknowledged their conduct fell below expectations on this occasion."
Brook also apologised through a statement, originally provided to The 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," he said.
"Representing England is the greatest honour of all, which I take seriously and I am deeply sorry for letting down my teammates, 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."
Brook was the vice-captain throughout the Ashes and stepped in when Ben Stokes was injured and left the field in Adelaide and Sydney.
England's off-field behaviour has been under scrutiny throughout the Ashes, particularly during their time in Noosa between Brisbane and Adelaide.
Reports from the UK press suggested there had been consistent drinking during the side's time there from various players.
In the aftermath of the series ending, the ECB announced it was undertaking a full-scale review into planning, preparation, performance and behaviour.
Speaking following the news, former England captain Vaughan put the onus on the ECB for trying to hide the Brook incident leading into the Test series.
"It doesn't surprise me," he said on BBC's Test Match Special.
"They've been quite loose for a while and whether it's consequences with shots that have been played over the last three years, there hasn't been one and now obviously the loose nature of this environment.
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"The Noosa trip was fine for me, but the Noosa trip on the back of what we know went on in New Zealand, you have to point the finger at the leadership group of the ECB.
"He had this incident and then played the next day as England captain, you have to say that the highest level of ECB management need to look themselves in the mirror. They were clearly trying to brush that under the carpet because the Ashes were coming up.
"If they had dealt with it there and then, it would have been a big story but at least you pushed it out of the way. For it now to have broken on the back of losing 4-1 in Australia and what happened in Noosa … it kind of tells you the whole culture around the team and the group and the ECB needs to change."
The reaction to Brook's off-field indiscretion has caused quite a stir already on social media, with many joining Vaughan in criticising the England management.
Veteran journalist Kelvin MacKenzie went on the attack via X, while former County player Azeem Rafiq said there was a "cultural problem" within the group.
"I paid good money to fly out and watch the Ashes so I'm furious to learn from The Telegraph that vice captain Harry Brook, one of our most disappointing players, had been fined £30K ($60,000 AUD) and put on a final warning about his conduct after being struck by a bouncer who would not allow him into a nightclub," MacKenzie said.
"The incident happened on October 31 in Wellington, New Zealand, on the eve of a one day international where Brook was actually captaining the side. These ODIs immediately preceded the Ashes tour. Brook was vice captain of the England side throughout the Ashes. How was he allowed to keep that position after the incident?
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"Why did the England hierarchy keep the fine and final warning quiet? And does the relaxed attitude of the England camp explain why Ben Duckett, another tour failure, was seen to be drunk and disorientated in Noosa?
"The tour was a shambles and it's time managing director [Rob] Keys, who kept schtum about Brook's brawl, coach [Brendon] McCullum and possibly even [Ben] Stokes who, because of his drinking days has no authority, must all go."
Brook made his Test debut in 2022 and has gone on to become one of England's most important players with the bat, scoring 3178 runs at an average in the mid-50s.
However, his performances across the five-game Ashes series were mixed, scoring 358 runs but getting dismissed in ugly fashion on numerous occasions.
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