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The Journey of a Movement is often marked by distinct phases.

1. The Core Concept

A dominant personality or leaders propose an innovative concept that promises a cure for alienated and vulnerable people.

And so it goes. Preparations are underway to challenge the establishment in Australia. Pressure is mounting. Signs of trouble appear from the sidelines. An isolated player, naked, nervous, the phrase ATTACKING MINDSET written on his body as a symbol, has emerged into view and is removed in secrecy for a temporary assignment in county cricket.

Do you ever miss the beginning, when the world was still young? The initial phase, of Bazball without brains.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Movement founders offer a new start, optimism ahead, camaraderie, success together with shared faith in the big idea.

What was this thing at first? A team united basking in glory. Tattoos. Strength. Jawlines. Confident masculinity. Oh sure, England’s players will claim Bazball doesn’t actually exist, amusingly as it’s denied, what did we see?

However, everyone understands what it is. It’s the batsman playing a shot so outrageous it defies description. It’s the thrill of Ben Stokes in ultimate mode, an expression conveying: pensive Nordic god, beard made of wood, natural look, truly contemporary you wouldn’t be surprised to look down and find him positioned at mid-off bare-chested and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s the opener still being allowed to talk in press conferences, out there looking like a happy little woodland creature in a waistcoat, expressing thoughts like we’re challenging norms. And yes, the energy, for quite a long time, was entirely positive.

3. A New Life

Building period. Unity enforced via memorization of mantras. These principles are often illogical as a loyalty check.

Am I alone? The reaction, the anger, the sense of betrayal post-defeat seems too strong, overdone. The batting collapsed during the match, as they often do in Australia. They were savaged defensively in a short span as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, outplayed by Travis Head batting like England but better, adaptive to conditions, a man playing with a kind of light around him.

And now we have this the pile-on, the frustration, the perception of the team as a disgrace. The opinion suggests that England don’t just need to lose, they should be dismantled, to be purged, obliterated, defeated via traditional methods of Mitchell Starc’s movements, the low-fi orthodoxies of the bowler, out there celebrating his wickets modestly as if receiving a nice new fishing rod. How will they respond?

4. The Backlash Phase

Challenges surface from failures in the plan. But the cult cannot admit errors. It turns to hostility externally.

Ultimately, approaching the upcoming game, we have now reached a delicious point of tension in the lifespan of this movement. Victory is possible in Brisbane with bold tactics. Alternatively, they could lose just as quickly. And if they do lose it seems we could be witnessing the final stage.

Before that happens, there are two things to consider about this. More than two years ago, at the start, of optimism and energy, a column appeared labeling it a movement. People were very angry, which proved the point as it’s known a method to show something definitely isn’t a cult is should followers react defensively objecting to the questioning of the philosophy.

The developments in the last few days is just as interesting. It seems that hating Bazball has now become the cult. Online outrage is widespread, disappointed commentators, images of frustrated travelling fans cheated out of three days of cricket, like a room full of people wanting fairness.

On the other hand, we have the wider backdrop of Australia’s more nuanced ingrained annoyance towards the unconventional visitors, claiming, hey, that thing you love and have honed as part of your identity from others, it’s not serious ultimately.

Here lies the truth. Everything is a cult. The approach was a phenomenon since the sport itself is insular. Or at least, the team has long been exclusive, a clique, a private event, a closed world with two hundred years of ceremonial past supporting it. This has always been where influence is guarded. It’s the British pastime of the nation, the early image-makers. And guess what, the country is a phenomenon, a series of esoteric hierarchies, a monarchy still exists.

The players have been isolated within this world from a young age. Attempting to break free, to build a better atmosphere, they are simply replicating their upbringing, forming a new circle, an exclusive group, but doing it this time with a new team and a mentor promoting authenticity provided you conform.

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

With this mind, it might be appropriate to offer compassion for the movement, to recognize its positives, that are numerous. How to define it? Promoting liberation. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with