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The Life Cycle of a Cult tends to be characterized by clear stages.

1. The Grand Vision

A charismatic leader or leaders present a new and transcendent idea offering a solution for struggling players.

Thus we find ourselves. Plans are in motion to confront the system overseas. Tensions are rising. Conflict emerges from the sidelines. One individual, exposed, anxious, the phrase ATTACKING MINDSET displayed prominently as a symbol, has come staggering from the field and is taken aside in secrecy towards an inconclusive loan stint in county cricket.

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

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Movement founders promise a new start, a brighter tomorrow, love, salvation among a group with shared faith in the philosophy.

What did it represent at first? Players celebrating feeling good. Tattoos. Forearms. Determination. Confident masculinity. Of course, The team insist Bazball doesn’t actually exist, ironically because if it doesn’t exist, what exactly did I just watch?

But we know what it is. It’s the player executing a stroke so outrageous it has to be pixelated. It’s the thrill of Ben Stokes in ultimate mode, an expression conveying: thoughtful warrior, strong features, hair woven from beaver hide, genuinely raw you almost imagine to glance over and find him positioned at mid-off stripped to the waist holding a fish.

It’s Ben Duckett still being allowed to talk in press conferences, appearing as a joyful figure smartly dressed, expressing thoughts like we are actively deconstructing the orange. Indeed, the energy, for a significant period, was entirely positive.

3. Expansion Period

Growth phase. Togetherness strengthened via memorization of key phrases. These principles can appear contradictory as a test of “true belief”.

Does anyone else feel? The criticism, the outrage, the disappointment following the initial loss appears excessive, too much. The performance was poor during the match, as they often do in Australia. They were torn apart defensively in a short span when tactics failed, manipulated by Travis Head batting like England but better, adaptive to conditions, a man playing with brilliance.

Now there is the attacks, the rage, the sense of English Test cricket as a disgrace. The feeling seems to be that England don’t just need to lose, they should be dismantled, to be cleansed, obliterated, destroyed by the vengeful purity of the bowler’s action, the conventional tactics of the bowler, seen enjoying successes modestly similar to getting a rewarding prize. What will this do to them?

4. The Backlash Phase

Problems arise because of mistakes. But the cult cannot admit errors. It begins to thrive on anger towards critics.

The fact remains, a few days before the next match, we’ve entered a delicious point of tension in the journey of this thing. England could quite easily win in Brisbane with bold tactics. Alternatively, they could lose just as quickly. And if they do lose it seems we really might be entering the final stage.

Prior to that, several aspects to note about this. In the past, during the initial excitement, of optimism and energy, I wrote an article labeling it a movement. There was outrage, which was helpful since it’s clear how to confirm that it’s not a closed group is should followers send hundreds of furiously one-eyed messages objecting to the questioning of its truths.

What has happened recently are fascinating. It seems that hating Bazball has now become the cult. We have a uniformly angry internet, disappointed commentators, shots of angry middle-aged supporters abroad cheated out of three days of cricket, reminiscent of investors demanding recourse.

Conversely, there is the broader context of Australia’s more nuanced more culturally hard-wired exasperation with the aggressive tourists, stating, your cherished traditions and have developed as one way of separating yourself culturally from us, it’s not serious ultimately.

Here lies the truth. It’s all cults. The style was a trend because cricket is a cult. In fact, the sport in England is closed, a circle, an elite gathering, a restricted environment with centuries of ceremonial past supporting it. It has long been where entry is limited. It’s the colonial game of the nation, the early image-makers. And notably, Britain is itself a cult, a system of unknown levels, a royal family remains.

The players have been enclosed in this environment since childhood. Attempting to break free, to build a better atmosphere, they are mirroring their past, building another enclosure, a closed circle, but now with a modern squad and a coach who wants you to be yourself provided you conform.

Stay present. Confront risks. However much you change, you remain stuck.

Considering this, it might be appropriate to offer compassion for the movement, to recognize its positives, which are significant. How to define it? Encouraging expression. Questioning traditions. Batting aggressively|Attacking with