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The Life Cycle of a Phenomenon can be characterized by clear stages.

1. The Core Concept

A charismatic leader or coaches introduce a new and transcendent idea offering a panacea for disconnected individuals.

So here we are. Plans are in motion to confront the system down in Brisbane. Pressure is mounting. Signs of trouble appear from the out-houses. A lone figure, exposed, anxious, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT displayed prominently in chicken blood, has come staggering into view and is removed with discretion to a different team in county cricket.

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

2. Love-Bombing

Cult leaders guarantee a new start, optimism ahead, love, salvation together united in belief in the method.

How did it feel initially? A team united feeling good. Ink. Muscles. Jawlines. Confident masculinity. Of course, The squad insist they don’t use the label, which is funny because if it doesn’t exist, what was that spectacle?

However, everyone understands what it is. It’s the player attempting a move so unconventional it defies description. It’s the adrenaline of Ben Stokes in ultimate mode, a look that says: pensive Nordic god, strong features, natural look, genuinely raw you wouldn’t be surprised to notice and find him positioned on the ground shirtless holding a fish.

It’s the batsman continuing to have permission to talk in press conferences, resembling a cheerful animal formally attired, saying stuff like we are actively deconstructing the orange. Indeed, the vibe, for a significant period, was only good energy.

3. The Growth Phase

Development stage. Cohesion maintained via memorization of the cult’s slogans. These ideas are often illogical as a test of “true belief”.

Is it just me? The reaction, the anger, the disappointment following the initial loss appears excessive, too much. The performance was poor during the match, as history shows. They were torn apart in the field for a couple of hours as plans unraveled, manipulated by the batsman imitating their style effectively, adaptive to conditions, a performer excelling with brilliance.

Currently, we see the criticism, the rage, the sense of English Test cricket as a disgrace. The consensus is that England don’t just need to lose, they need to lose righteously, to be cleansed, destroyed, overwhelmed through sheer skill of Mitchell Starc’s movements, the low-fi orthodoxies of Scott Boland, marking achievements modestly similar to getting a rewarding prize. How will they respond?

4. The Backlash Phase

Problems arise due to setbacks. But the cult cannot admit errors. It starts to feed on hatred of the outside world.

Ultimately, approaching the upcoming game, we have now reached a critical juncture in the journey of this approach. England could quite easily win in Brisbane through aggressive play. Alternatively, they could lose just as quickly. And if they do lose it appears we really might be entering the final stage.

Prior to that, a couple of points worth saying regarding this. In the past, back in those heady early days, of optimism and energy, a column appeared labeling it a movement. People were very angry, which was helpful because everyone knows the best way of proving that it’s not a closed group is when its acolytes send hundreds of furiously one-eyed messages objecting to the questioning of its truths.

What has happened in the last few days are equally notable. Criticism of the approach is now the trend. Social media is furious, critical analysts, pictures of upset supporters abroad missing out on play, similar to people wanting fairness.

Conversely, there is the broader context of Australia’s more nuanced deep-seated frustration with the aggressive tourists, out there saying, hey, that thing you love and have honed to distinguish yourselves from the opposition, well, it’s all a bit of a gag ultimately.

And this is the real point. It’s all cults. The style was a trend as the game has its own culture. Or rather, the sport in England is closed, a group, a private event, a restricted environment with a long history of opaque and ritualistic cult history defining it. This has always been a place where power and access are hoarded. It’s the British pastime of the nation, the early image-makers. And surprisingly, the nation has its own culture, a structure of hidden ranks, a place that literally still has a king.

The team have been sealed up within this world for years. Seeking change, to create a less brutal environment, they are simply replicating their past, creating another a bubble, an exclusive group, but doing it this time with a modern squad and a coach promoting authenticity provided you conform.

Stay present. Run towards the danger. Despite efforts, things stay similar.

With this mind, it might be appropriate to show understanding for the approach, to acknowledge its merits, of which there are many. How to define it? Encouraging expression. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with