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The Journey of a Phenomenon is often defined by distinct phases.

1. The Grand Vision

A dominant personality or figureheads propose an innovative concept offering a panacea for disconnected individuals.

Thus we find ourselves. Plans are in motion to confront the system overseas. Tensions are rising. Signs of trouble appear from the out-houses. One individual, vulnerable, nervous, the phrase ATTACKING MINDSET written on his body as a statement, has come staggering into view and is removed in secrecy for a temporary assignment in county cricket.

Do you ever miss the early days, when everything was fresh? The era of early Bazball, of Bazball without brains.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Movement founders promise a new start, hope for a future, support, redemption together who all believe in the big idea.

What did it represent at first? Just men on a balcony basking in glory. Ink. Forearms. Determination. Peak performance vibes. Admittedly, England’s players will claim it’s not a real term, ironically because if it doesn’t exist, what exactly did I just watch?

However, everyone understands its essence. It’s the batsman executing a stroke so depraved it has to be pixelated. It’s the thrill of Ben Stokes in his final form, an expression conveying: thoughtful warrior, strong features, untamed style, truly contemporary you half-expect to look down and notice he’s fielding on the ground shirtless holding a fish.

It’s the opener still being allowed speaking publicly, resembling a happy little woodland creature in a waistcoat, expressing thoughts like we’re breaking down traditions. And yes, the energy, initially, was only good energy.

3. Expansion Period

Development stage. Cohesion maintained through repetition of mantras. These principles may seem irrational as a test of “true belief”.

Am I alone? The reaction, the anger, the disappointment post-defeat seems too strong, unwarranted. The performance was poor in Perth, as they often do in Australia. They were dominated defensively during a brief period when tactics failed, manipulated by the batsman imitating their style effectively, adaptive to conditions, a performer excelling with brilliance.

Currently, we see the criticism, the anger, the sense of English Test cricket as a kind of abomination. The feeling seems to be that defeat must be total, they must be humbled, to be purged, destroyed, defeated via traditional methods of the bowler’s action, the simple basics of Scott Boland, seen enjoying successes humbly like he’s just been given a rewarding prize. What impact will this have?

4. Hate Bonding

Challenges surface from failures in the plan. However, faults are ignored. It turns to hatred of the outside world.

Ultimately, half a week out from the second Test, we’ve entered a delicious point of tension in the story of this movement. Victory is possible in the next Test in a blur of adrenal disruption. More likely, they could lose just as quickly. In case of defeat it seems we could be witnessing the decline.

Ahead of this, a couple of points to consider regarding this. More than two years ago, at the start, of passion and hope, I wrote an article labeling it a movement. There was outrage, which proved the point as it’s known how to confirm that it’s not a closed group is when its acolytes send hundreds of furiously one-eyed messages objecting to the questioning of the philosophy.

The developments lately are fascinating. Criticism of the approach has now become the cult. Social media is furious, disappointed commentators, images of frustrated travelling fans missing out on play, similar to investors demanding recourse.

Conversely, we have the wider backdrop of Australia’s more nuanced ingrained annoyance towards the unconventional visitors, stating, the methods you value and have honed as part of your identity from others, it’s just a joke ultimately.

This is the core issue. It’s all cults. The style was a trend because cricket is a cult. Or rather, English cricket has always been a cult, a group, a private event, a restricted environment with two hundred years of tradition and mystery defining it. Historically, this was where influence is guarded. It’s the imperial sport of the British, the original sports washers. And notably, the nation has its own culture, a system of unknown levels, a place that literally still has a king.

The team have been enclosed in this environment since childhood. In trying to escape from it, to foster positivity, they are just repeating their upbringing, forming a new circle, a limited community, but doing it this time with a modern squad and a mentor who wants you to be yourself as long as yourself is quite a lot like myself.

Stay present. Run towards the danger. However much you change, you’re always basically in the same place.

Considering this, it might be appropriate to have some sympathy for the approach, to acknowledge its merits, of which there are many. How to define it? Promoting liberation. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with