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

1. The Grand Vision

An inspiring figure or leaders propose a revolutionary approach offering a solution for struggling players.

Thus we find ourselves. They’re getting ready to storm the compound in Australia. Tensions are rising. Signs of trouble appear from within. An isolated player, vulnerable, shivering, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT displayed prominently in chicken blood, has come staggering from the field and is removed under a blanket for a temporary assignment at Derbyshire.

Remember the early days, when the world was still young? The days of Bazball 1.0, of pure instinct.

2. Love-Bombing

Team architects promise a new start, optimism ahead, camaraderie, salvation within a community united in belief in the method.

What was this thing back then? A team united basking in glory. Body art. Forearms. Jawlines. Elite male wellness energy. Admittedly, England’s players often say it’s not a real term, which is funny as it’s denied, what did we see?

Yet it’s clear its essence. It’s the player executing a stroke so outrageous it has to be pixelated. It’s the excitement of the captain in his final form, a look that says: thoughtful warrior, strong features, untamed style, so authentically Modern Savage you wouldn’t be surprised to notice and notice he’s fielding on the ground stripped to the waist holding a fish.

It’s Ben Duckett continuing to have permission speaking publicly, appearing as a happy little woodland creature smartly dressed, saying stuff like we’re challenging norms. Indeed, the energy, for a significant period, was only good energy.

3. The Growth Phase

Building period. Togetherness strengthened by rote learning of the cult’s slogans. These ideas may seem irrational to prove commitment.

Am I alone? The criticism, the anger, the feeling of letdown post-defeat feels overblown, too much. The batting collapsed on the field, as history shows. They were torn apart defensively during a brief period when tactics failed, carved around by Travis Head imitating their style effectively, adjusting to the pitch, a performer excelling with aura.

Currently, we see the attacks, the frustration, the perception of the team as a failure. The consensus is that defeat must be total, they must be humbled, to be purged, obliterated, overwhelmed through sheer skill of the bowler’s action, the low-fi orthodoxies of the veteran, out there celebrating his wickets humbly similar to getting a nice new fishing rod. How will they respond?

4. The Backlash Phase

Problems arise due to setbacks. However, faults are ignored. It turns to hatred of the outside world.

The fact remains, approaching from the second Test, we’ve entered a delicious point of tension in the lifespan of this movement. They might succeed overseas through aggressive play. Probably, defeat could come swiftly. And if they do lose it seems we really might be entering the death cult phase.

Before that happens, a couple of points to consider on the topic. Previously, during the initial excitement, of optimism and energy, I wrote an article suggesting Bazball was a cult. Criticism followed, which was helpful as it’s known how to confirm something definitely isn’t a cult is if supporters respond with anger rejecting criticism of the philosophy.

Recent events recently are fascinating. Opposition to the style has now become the cult. Social media is furious, angry English pundits, images of frustrated supporters abroad cheated out of three days of cricket, reminiscent of people wanting fairness.

On the other hand, exists the larger scene of Australia’s more nuanced ingrained annoyance towards the unconventional visitors, out there saying, hey, that thing you love and have fostered and nurtured as one way of separating yourself culturally from us, well, it’s all a bit of a gag in the end old boy.

This is the core issue. Everything is a cult. The approach was a phenomenon because cricket is a cult. In fact, English cricket has always been a cult, a group, an elite gathering, a restricted environment with two hundred years of opaque and ritualistic cult history supporting it. It has long been where entry is limited. It’s the colonial game of the British, the original sports washers. And surprisingly, the country is a phenomenon, a series of esoteric hierarchies, a monarchy still exists.

The players have been isolated in this environment for years. In trying to escape from it, to create a less brutal environment, they are just repeating their own experience, forming a new circle, a closed circle, but now with 15 cool guys and a leader who wants you to be yourself as long as yourself is quite a lot like myself.

Live where your feet are. Run towards the danger. Despite efforts, things stay similar.

Considering this, it might be appropriate to offer compassion for Bazball, to acknowledge its merits, which are significant. What does it represent? Promoting liberation. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with