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\u2018Bazball\u2019 has been added to the Collins dictionary in recognition of how the word \u2013 coined to describe the aggressive style of cricket under England Test match head coach Brendon McCullum \u2013 has gained widespread usage.<\/p>\n
Bazball was also named by HarperCollins as one of the 10 most significant new words of the year in 2023.<\/p>\n
Collins defines Bazball as \u201ca style of Test cricket in which the batting side plays in a highly aggressive manner\u201d.<\/p>\n
The latest print edition of the Collins dictionary was published in August. While the word Bazball has already been added to the online version of the dictionary, it will not appear in the physical dictionary until next year\u2019s edition.<\/p>\n
The word Bazball was first coined by Andrew Miller, the UK editor at the ESPNCricinfo website, in May 2022, shortly after McCullum\u2019s appointment as head coach. It has since been used ever more widely, particularly during the recent Ashes series, when England rallied from 2-0 down to secure a thrilling 2-2 draw. Usage of the term increased by 400 per cent from 2022 to 2023.<\/p>\n
The word is now widely used to describe a bold, risk-taking approach in other fields. England soccer manager Gareth Southgate has said that he has been inspired by the Test team\u2019s approach, while British prime minister Rishi Sunak\u2019s approach has been dubbed a \u201cpolitical Bazball\u201d.<\/p>\n
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England Test coach Brendon McCullum (right) with Ben Stokes at Lord\u2019s.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n The term \u201cwas probably the most significant new word to emerge from the world of sport this year,\u201d said Helen Newstead, language data consultant for Collins Dictionaries.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018Bazball\u2019 was first coined in 2022, but has seen an increase in usage of over 400 per cent in 2023. It refers to an aggressive style of cricket that brought a dramatic turnaround in the fortunes of England\u2019s Test cricket team under their coach Brendon \u2018Baz\u2019 McCullum.<\/p>\n \u201cThe coinage \u2018Bazball\u2019 follows an established formula in sports journalism for naming a distinctive style of play after the coach who introduced it, which can be traced back to Moneyball<\/em>, the title of a 2003 book about baseball by Michael Lewis.\u201d<\/p>\n Since McCullum, the former New Zealand captain, took over as England head coach in May 2022, England have won 13 out of 18 Test matches – a remarkable turnaround for a side who had won just one out of their previous 17 Tests.<\/p>\n McCullum was appointed at the same time as Ben Stokes was made captain, with all-rounder Stokes driving the aggressive approach. The coach has previously said that he dislikes the word.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t really like that silly term that people are throwing out there because there\u2019s actually quite a bit of thought that goes into how the guys manufacture their performances and when they put pressure on bowlers and which bowlers they put pressure on,\u201d he said last year.<\/p>\n