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The Life Cycle of a Phenomenon tends to be marked by clear stages.

1. The Big Idea

A dominant personality or figureheads introduce a new and transcendent idea that promises a cure for disconnected individuals.

So here we are. Preparations are underway to challenge the establishment in Australia. The gunships are circling. Signs of trouble appear from the sidelines. One individual, naked, shivering, the slogan POSITIVE INTENT written on his body in chicken blood, has emerged through the lines and is being led away with discretion towards an inconclusive loan stint in county cricket.

Do you recall the early days, when the world was still young? The initial phase, of uninhibited aggression.

2. Love-Bombing

Team architects offer a reboot, optimism ahead, love, redemption together united in belief in the philosophy.

What was this thing back then? Players celebrating feeling good. Ink. Strength. Jawlines. Confident masculinity. Of course, The team often say it’s not a real term, which is funny because if it doesn’t exist, what was that spectacle?

Yet it’s clear the concept. It’s the player playing a shot so unconventional it has to be pixelated. It’s the adrenaline of the leader at his peak, an expression conveying: pensive Nordic god, strong features, untamed style, truly contemporary you almost imagine to glance over and see him playing at mid-off bare-chested and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s the opener continuing to have permission speaking publicly, out there looking like a happy little woodland creature formally attired, expressing thoughts like we’re breaking down traditions. Certainly, the vibe, for a significant period, was uplifting.

3. A New Life

Growth phase. Togetherness strengthened by rote learning of mantras. These ideas are often illogical as a loyalty check.

Is it just me? The reaction, the anger, the feeling of letdown post-defeat appears excessive, unwarranted. The batting collapsed during the match, as history shows. They were dominated while bowling for a couple of hours when tactics failed, manipulated by the batsman imitating their style effectively, adjusting to the pitch, a man playing with aura.

Now there is the pile-on, the anger, 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 purged, obliterated, defeated by the vengeful purity of Mitchell Starc’s movements, the conventional tactics of Scott Boland, marking his wickets with a bashful smile like he’s just been given a pleasant gift. What impact will this have?

4. The Backlash Phase

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

Ultimately, a few days before the next match, we’ve entered a critical juncture in the story of this approach. They might succeed overseas in a blur of adrenal disruption. Alternatively, defeat could come swiftly. In case of defeat it appears we could be witnessing the death cult phase.

Before that happens, a couple of points to note on the topic. Previously, back in those heady early days, of light and heat, I wrote an article labeling it a movement. Criticism followed, which was helpful as it’s known how to confirm something definitely isn’t a cult is if supporters respond with anger objecting to the questioning of the philosophy.

The developments in the last few days are fascinating. Criticism of the approach has turned into a movement. Online outrage is widespread, angry English pundits, shots of angry middle-aged travelling fans missing out on play, similar to timeshare owners seeking justice.

On the other hand, exists the larger scene of Australia’s more nuanced more culturally hard-wired exasperation at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, out there saying, hey, that thing you love and have honed as one way of separating yourself from others, it’s not serious in the end old boy.

Here lies the truth. All movements are similar. Bazball was a cult as the game has its own culture. Or rather, the sport in England is closed, a circle, a garden party, a restricted environment with centuries of opaque and ritualistic cult history behind it. Historically, this was where influence is guarded. It’s the colonial game of the nation, the early image-makers. And surprisingly, Britain is itself a cult, a series of esoteric hierarchies, a monarchy still exists.

The team have been enclosed in this environment from a young age. Attempting to break free, to foster positivity, they are simply replicating their past, building another enclosure, a closed circle, however with a modern squad and a mentor encouraging individuality if you fit the mold.

Stay present. Embrace challenges. But no matter how fast and far you run, things stay similar.

With this mind, it might be appropriate to offer compassion for the approach, to appreciate its good points, of which there are many. What does it represent? Encouraging expression. Questioning traditions. Batting aggressively|Attacking with