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The Journey of a Phenomenon can be characterized by clear stages.

1. The Grand Vision

A charismatic leader or leaders present a revolutionary approach pledging a cure for struggling players.

And so it goes. They’re getting ready to challenge the establishment overseas. The gunships are circling. Conflict emerges from the sidelines. One individual, naked, nervous, the slogan POSITIVE INTENT smeared across his chest as a statement, has stumbled from the field and is taken aside with discretion to a different team in county cricket.

Do you ever miss the start, when everything was fresh? The initial phase, of uninhibited aggression.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Cult leaders offer a reboot, hope for a future, love, success within a community who all believe in the philosophy.

How did it feel at first? A team united basking in glory. Body art. Muscles. Determination. Confident masculinity. Oh sure, England’s players insist it’s not a real term, amusingly as it’s denied, what was that spectacle?

Yet it’s clear the concept. It’s the player attempting a move so unconventional it’s beyond belief. It’s the thrill of Ben Stokes in his final form, an expression conveying: thoughtful warrior, strong features, untamed style, truly contemporary you wouldn’t be surprised to glance over and notice he’s fielding at mid-off stripped to the waist and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s the opener often seen addressing the media, appearing as a cheerful animal smartly dressed, saying stuff like we are actively deconstructing the orange. Indeed, the vibe, initially, was entirely positive.

3. A New Life

Development stage. Unity enforced via memorization of key phrases. These beliefs are often illogical to prove commitment.

Does anyone else feel? The backlash, the anger, the feeling of letdown after the first Ashes Test defeat feels overblown, overdone. England batted badly during the match, as is typical there. They were savaged defensively in a short span as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, carved around by the opponent imitating their style effectively, adaptive to conditions, a man playing with brilliance.

Currently, we see the pile-on, the frustration, the sense of English Test cricket as a kind of abomination. The feeling seems to be that England don’t just need to lose, they should be dismantled, to be cleansed, flame-throwered, defeated via traditional methods of the bowler’s action, the low-fi orthodoxies of the bowler, seen enjoying successes modestly as if receiving a nice new fishing rod. How will they respond?

4. The Backlash Phase

Challenges surface from failures in the plan. However, faults are ignored. It begins to thrive on hatred of the outside world.

The fact remains, a few days before the next match, we’ve entered a critical juncture in the lifespan of this thing. England could quite easily win overseas with bold tactics. Alternatively, defeat could come swiftly. And if they do lose it feels like we may see the final stage.

Before that happens, a couple of points to consider about this. In the past, during the initial excitement, of passion and hope, an piece was published calling it a phenomenon. There was outrage, which demonstrated because everyone knows how to confirm lack of cult status is should followers respond with anger rejecting criticism of the philosophy.

Recent events recently is just as interesting. Criticism of the approach has turned into a movement. Online outrage is widespread, angry English pundits, images of frustrated supporters abroad cheated out of three days of cricket, similar to people wanting fairness.

Meanwhile, there is the broader context of the opponent’s mixed deep-seated frustration at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, stating, hey, that thing you love and have fostered and nurtured as part of your identity from others, it’s not serious after all.

This is the core issue. All movements are similar. Bazball was a cult since the sport itself is insular. Or rather, the team has long been exclusive, a circle, an elite gathering, a restricted environment with two hundred years of opaque and ritualistic cult history defining it. Historically, this was a place where power and access are hoarded. It’s the imperial sport of England, the original sports washers. And notably, Britain is itself a cult, a system of unknown levels, a royal family remains.

England’s cricketers have been enclosed in this system for years. Seeking change, to create a less brutal environment, they are just repeating their own experience, forming a new circle, a limited community, however with 15 cool guys and a mentor promoting authenticity provided you conform.

Live where your feet are. Embrace challenges. However much you change, things stay similar.

Considering this, it might be appropriate to have some sympathy for Bazball, to recognize its positives, that are numerous. What does it represent? Creating a sense of freedom. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with