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The Journey of a Phenomenon is often defined by specific steps.

1. The Big Idea

An inspiring figure or figureheads present a revolutionary approach that promises a panacea for struggling players.

Thus we find ourselves. They’re getting ready to storm the compound down in Brisbane. Tensions are rising. Conflict emerges from within. One individual, naked, shivering, the slogan POSITIVE INTENT written on his body as a statement, has stumbled through the lines and is taken aside in secrecy for a temporary assignment at Derbyshire.

Do you recall the early days, when optimism reigned? The days of Bazball 1.0, of pure instinct.

2. Love-Bombing

Team architects offer a fresh beginning, hope for a future, camaraderie, redemption within a community who all believe in the philosophy.

What did it represent at first? Players celebrating enjoying success. Body art. Forearms. Focus. Confident masculinity. Admittedly, England’s players often say it’s not a real term, ironically as it’s denied, what exactly did I just watch?

However, everyone understands its essence. It’s the batsman playing a shot so depraved it has to be pixelated. It’s the thrill of Ben Stokes in his final form, a demeanor suggesting: focused titan, rugged appearance, untamed style, genuinely raw you wouldn’t be surprised to glance over and see him playing at mid-off shirtless embracing nature.

It’s the batsman continuing to have permission speaking publicly, out there looking like a happy little woodland creature in a waistcoat, expressing thoughts like we are actively deconstructing the orange. Certainly, the atmosphere, for a significant period, was uplifting.

3. A New Life

Growth phase. Togetherness strengthened by rote learning of the cult’s slogans. These principles can appear contradictory to prove commitment.

Am I alone? The reaction, the outrage, the disappointment after the first Ashes Test defeat feels overblown, too much. The performance was poor during the match, as is typical there. They were savaged in the field during a brief period as plans unraveled, manipulated by Travis Head batting like England but better, adaptive to conditions, a performer excelling with aura.

Now there is the attacks, the rage, the sense of English Test cricket as a disgrace. The feeling seems to be that defeat must be total, they need to lose righteously, to be scoured, destroyed, defeated by the vengeful purity of Mitchell Starc’s movements, the low-fi orthodoxies of the bowler, marking successes modestly as if receiving a nice new fishing rod. How will they respond?

4. Hate Bonding

Problems arise due to setbacks. Yet, mistakes are denied. It begins to thrive on hostility externally.

The fact remains, approaching the upcoming game, we are at a delicious point of tension in the lifespan of this thing. They might succeed in the next Test in a blur of adrenal disruption. Probably, they could lose just as quickly. And if they do lose it feels like we could be witnessing the death cult phase.

Ahead of this, a couple of points to consider on the topic. Previously, at the start, of passion and hope, an piece was published suggesting Bazball was a cult. There was outrage, which proved the point since it’s clear the best way of proving lack of cult status is when its acolytes send hundreds of furiously one-eyed messages denying scrutiny of its truths.

Recent events lately are equally notable. It seems that hating Bazball has turned into a movement. Social media is furious, angry English pundits, pictures of upset travelling fans cheated out of three days of cricket, like a room full of timeshare owners seeking justice.

Meanwhile, exists the larger scene of the host’s complex deep-seated frustration at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, claiming, hey, that thing you love and have fostered and nurtured as one way of separating yourself culturally from us, it’s not serious after all.

And this is the real point. Everything is a cult. The approach was a phenomenon because cricket is a cult. Or rather, the sport in England is closed, a clique, an elite gathering, a restricted environment with a long history of opaque and ritualistic cult history behind it. Historically, this was a place where power and access are hoarded. It’s the British pastime of the British, the pioneering brand. And surprisingly, the country is a phenomenon, a structure of hidden ranks, a place that literally still has a king.

The team have been isolated in this environment since childhood. Attempting to break free, to build a better atmosphere, they are mirroring their upbringing, creating another a bubble, an exclusive group, but doing it this time with a modern squad and a coach promoting authenticity as long as yourself is quite a lot like myself.

Focus on the moment. Confront risks. However much you change, things stay similar.

With this mind, it might be appropriate to have some sympathy for Bazball, to appreciate its good points, that are numerous. What does it represent? Promoting liberation. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with