🔗 Share this article

The Journey of a Movement is often characterized by specific steps.

1. The Big Idea

A charismatic leader or leaders present an innovative concept offering a panacea for disconnected individuals.

And so it goes. They’re getting ready to challenge the establishment in Australia. Pressure is mounting. Smoke is rising from the out-houses. One individual, naked, anxious, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT displayed prominently as a symbol, has stumbled through the lines and is taken aside under a blanket to a different team at Derbyshire.

Do you ever miss the start, when everything was fresh? The days of Bazball 1.0, of uninhibited aggression.

2. Initial Adoration

Movement founders promise a reboot, optimism ahead, love, salvation together with shared faith in the philosophy.

What was this thing initially? A team united feeling good. Ink. Forearms. Determination. Elite male wellness energy. Of course, England’s players will claim Bazball doesn’t actually exist, ironically since it’s not recognized, what did we see?

Yet it’s clear what it is. It’s the batsman attempting a move so depraved it’s beyond belief. It’s the excitement of the leader at his peak, a demeanor suggesting: pensive Nordic god, rugged appearance, natural look, so authentically Modern Savage you half-expect to glance over and notice he’s fielding at mid-off bare-chested embracing nature.

It’s the batsman still being allowed to talk in press conferences, appearing as a happy little woodland creature smartly dressed, expressing thoughts like we’re breaking down traditions. Certainly, the energy, for a significant period, was only good energy.

3. Expansion Period

Growth phase. Togetherness strengthened through repetition of the cult’s slogans. These principles can appear contradictory to prove commitment.

Does anyone else feel? The reaction, the fury, the feeling of letdown post-defeat appears excessive, overdone. England batted badly on the field, as history shows. They were torn apart while bowling for a couple of hours when tactics failed, manipulated by the opponent imitating their style effectively, responsive to the situation, an athlete shining with aura.

Now there is the attacks, 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, defeated through sheer skill of the bowler’s action, the low-fi orthodoxies of the veteran, seen enjoying achievements modestly like he’s just been given a nice new fishing rod. How will they respond?

4. The Backlash Phase

Challenges surface from failures in the plan. Yet, mistakes are denied. It starts to feed on hatred of the outside world.

In truth, approaching the upcoming game, we are at a critical juncture in the lifespan of this movement. They might succeed overseas with bold tactics. Alternatively, they could lose just as quickly. In case of defeat it appears we may see the final stage.

Before that happens, a couple of points to consider on the topic. More than two years ago, during the initial excitement, of passion and hope, a column appeared calling it a phenomenon. There was outrage, which demonstrated because everyone knows the best way of proving lack of cult status is should followers send hundreds of furiously one-eyed messages rejecting criticism of the beliefs.

The developments in the last few days is just as interesting. It seems that hating Bazball has turned into a movement. We have a uniformly angry internet, critical analysts, shots of angry middle-aged supporters abroad missing out on play, reminiscent of timeshare owners seeking justice.

Meanwhile, there is the broader context of Australia’s more nuanced ingrained annoyance towards the unconventional visitors, out there saying, your cherished traditions and have honed as part of your identity culturally from us, well, it’s all a bit of a gag after all.

This is the core issue. All movements are similar. Bazball was a cult as the game has its own culture. Or at least, the sport in England is closed, a clique, a private event, a closed world with two hundred years of opaque and ritualistic cult history supporting it. This has always been a place where power and access are hoarded. It’s the imperial sport of England, the original sports washers. And guess what, the country is a phenomenon, a system of unknown levels, a royal family remains.

England’s cricketers have been enclosed within this world since childhood. Attempting to break free, to create a less brutal environment, they are mirroring their upbringing, forming a new circle, a limited community, however with 15 cool guys and a leader encouraging individuality if you fit the mold.

Focus on the moment. Run towards the danger. But no matter how fast and far you run, you’re always basically in the same place.

Considering this, it might be appropriate to offer compassion for Bazball, to appreciate its good points, that are numerous. What is Bazball? Promoting liberation. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with