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The Journey of a Phenomenon can be characterized by specific steps.

1. The Grand Vision

A dominant personality or coaches propose a new and transcendent idea offering a panacea for alienated and vulnerable people.

So here we are. They’re getting ready to confront the system overseas. The gunships are circling. Signs of trouble appear from within. An isolated player, naked, nervous, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT displayed prominently as a statement, has come staggering from the field and is being led away in secrecy to a different team elsewhere.

Do you ever miss the early days, when the world was still young? The era of early Bazball, of Bazball without brains.

2. Love-Bombing

Movement founders guarantee a new start, a brighter tomorrow, support, redemption together who all believe in the big idea.

What did it represent initially? A team united enjoying success. Body art. Forearms. Determination. Confident masculinity. Oh sure, The team will claim they don’t use the label, ironically since it’s not recognized, what exactly did I just watch?

Yet it’s clear what it is. It’s the batsman attempting a move so depraved it has to be pixelated. It’s the thrill of Ben Stokes in ultimate mode, a look that says: pensive Nordic god, strong features, hair woven from beaver hide, genuinely raw you wouldn’t be surprised to glance over and notice he’s fielding on the ground stripped to the waist and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s the opener often seen to talk in press conferences, appearing as a happy little woodland creature formally attired, uttering phrases such as we’re challenging norms. And yes, the atmosphere, for quite a long time, was entirely positive.

3. A New Life

Growth phase. Unity enforced by rote learning of the cult’s slogans. These principles are often illogical to prove commitment.

Does anyone else feel? The backlash, the anger, the disappointment following the initial loss seems too strong, unwarranted. The batting collapsed in Perth, as they often do in Australia. They were dominated in the field in a short span as plans unraveled, outplayed by Travis Head batting like England but better, responsive to the situation, a man playing with aura.

And now we have this the criticism, the rage, the view of the sport as a disgrace. The feeling seems to be that defeat must be total, they should be dismantled, to be purged, obliterated, destroyed by the vengeful purity of the pace attack, the conventional tactics of the bowler, out there celebrating successes humbly as if receiving a nice new fishing rod. What will this do to them?

4. The Backlash Phase

Issues emerge because of mistakes. However, faults are ignored. It starts to feed on hatred of the outside world.

The fact remains, half a week out from the second Test, we have now reached a critical juncture in the lifespan of this movement. They might succeed in the next Test through aggressive play. Alternatively, defeat could come swiftly. Should they fail it feels like we could be witnessing the death cult phase.

Prior to that, several aspects to consider on the topic. More than two years ago, back in those heady early days, of passion and hope, I wrote an article calling it a phenomenon. People were very angry, which demonstrated because everyone knows a method to show lack of cult status is if supporters send hundreds of furiously one-eyed messages objecting to the questioning of the philosophy.

Recent events in the last few days are fascinating. Criticism of the approach has now become the cult. Social media is furious, angry English pundits, shots of angry middle-aged supporters abroad disappointed by the short match, like a room full of people wanting fairness.

Conversely, we have the wider backdrop of the host’s complex deep-seated frustration at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, stating, hey, that thing you love and have honed as part of your identity from others, well, it’s all a bit of a gag ultimately.

And this is the real point. All movements are similar. The style was a trend since the sport itself is insular. Or at least, the sport in England is closed, a circle, an elite gathering, a closed world with two hundred years of opaque and ritualistic cult history defining it. This has always been where influence is guarded. It’s the imperial sport of the nation, the early image-makers. And surprisingly, the country is a phenomenon, a series of esoteric hierarchies, a monarchy still exists.

The team have been isolated within this world from a young age. Seeking change, to build a better atmosphere, they are just repeating their past, building another enclosure, a limited community, however with a modern squad and a coach promoting authenticity provided you conform.

Focus on the moment. Embrace challenges. However much you change, things stay similar.

Reflecting on this, it is perhaps the moment to offer compassion for the movement, to appreciate its good points, which are significant. What does it represent? Promoting liberation. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with