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The Life Cycle of a Phenomenon tends to be marked by specific steps.

1. The Grand Vision

A charismatic leader or leaders introduce an innovative concept pledging a solution for struggling players.

Thus we find ourselves. Preparations are underway to confront the system overseas. The gunships are circling. Conflict emerges from the out-houses. One individual, naked, anxious, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT written on his body in chicken blood, has emerged from the field and is removed in secrecy towards an inconclusive loan stint elsewhere.

Do you ever miss the start, when optimism reigned? The days of Bazball 1.0, of Bazball without brains.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Team architects guarantee a fresh beginning, optimism ahead, support, success together with shared faith in the philosophy.

What did it represent at first? Just men on a balcony feeling good. Ink. Forearms. Jawlines. Confident masculinity. Admittedly, England’s players often say they don’t use the label, which is funny since it’s not recognized, what was that spectacle?

But we know what it is. It’s the batsman attempting a move so unconventional it defies description. It’s the thrill of Ben Stokes in ultimate mode, an expression conveying: thoughtful warrior, beard made of wood, untamed style, truly contemporary you wouldn’t be surprised to notice and see him playing in the field bare-chested and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s Ben Duckett continuing to have permission speaking publicly, resembling a joyful figure formally attired, expressing thoughts like we’re breaking down traditions. Indeed, the atmosphere, for a significant period, was entirely positive.

3. The Growth Phase

Development stage. Togetherness strengthened through repetition of the cult’s slogans. These principles can appear contradictory to prove commitment.

Does anyone else feel? The criticism, the anger, the disappointment post-defeat seems too strong, overdone. The batting collapsed on the field, as they often do in Australia. They were dominated in the field in a short span when tactics failed, carved around by the opponent playing aggressively but smarter, adjusting to the pitch, an athlete shining with brilliance.

Now there is the criticism, the rage, the view of the sport as a disgrace. The consensus is that England don’t just need to lose, they need to lose righteously, to be scoured, destroyed, defeated through sheer skill of Mitchell Starc’s movements, the low-fi orthodoxies of the veteran, marking successes with a bashful smile similar to getting a nice new fishing rod. What impact will this have?

4. Hate Bonding

Problems arise because of mistakes. Yet, mistakes are denied. It starts to feed on hatred of the outside world.

In truth, half a week out from the second Test, we are at a critical juncture in the journey of this movement. Victory is possible in the next Test in a blur of adrenal disruption. Probably, failure may follow. Should they fail it seems we may see the death cult phase.

Before that happens, several aspects to consider on the topic. In the past, at the start, of passion and hope, a column appeared labeling it a movement. Criticism followed, which proved the point as it’s known the best way of proving that it’s not a closed group is when its acolytes react defensively rejecting criticism of its truths.

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

Conversely, there is the broader context of Australia’s more nuanced deep-seated frustration with the aggressive tourists, claiming, the methods you value and have fostered and nurtured as part of your identity culturally from us, it’s just a joke after all.

And this is the real point. It’s all cults. Bazball was a cult because cricket is a cult. In fact, the sport in England is closed, a group, an elite gathering, a restricted environment with a long history of opaque and ritualistic cult history defining it. This has always been a place where power and access are hoarded. It’s the imperial sport of the nation, the early image-makers. And notably, the nation has its own culture, a structure of hidden ranks, a royal family remains.

The team have been isolated within this world for years. In trying to escape from it, to foster positivity, they are mirroring their own experience, building another enclosure, an exclusive group, but doing it this time with 15 cool guys and a leader encouraging individuality as long as yourself is quite a lot like myself.

Stay present. Embrace challenges. However much you change, things stay similar.

Reflecting on this, it is perhaps the moment to have some sympathy for Bazball, to recognize its positives, that are numerous. How to define it? Encouraging expression. Defying norms. Batting aggressively|Attacking with