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The Journey of a Cult is often marked by specific steps.

1. The Big Idea

An inspiring figure or coaches introduce a revolutionary approach that promises a panacea for alienated and vulnerable people.

Thus we find ourselves. Plans are in motion to confront the system in Australia. Tensions are rising. Signs of trouble appear from the sidelines. One individual, naked, nervous, the phrase ATTACKING MINDSET displayed prominently as a symbol, has emerged through the lines and is being led away in secrecy towards an inconclusive loan stint elsewhere.

Do you recall the start, when optimism reigned? The initial phase, of pure instinct.

2. Initial Adoration

Team architects promise a reboot, optimism ahead, support, salvation together with shared faith in the method.

What was this thing initially? Just men on a balcony enjoying success. Body art. Muscles. Determination. Confident masculinity. Admittedly, The squad insist they don’t use the label, amusingly as it’s denied, what was that spectacle?

Yet it’s clear its essence. It’s the player executing a stroke so depraved it has to be pixelated. It’s the thrill of Ben Stokes in ultimate mode, a look that says: pensive Nordic god, beard made of wood, natural look, truly contemporary you almost imagine to notice and find him positioned at mid-off stripped to the waist embracing nature.

It’s Ben Duckett continuing to have permission speaking publicly, resembling a joyful figure formally attired, expressing thoughts like we’re challenging norms. And yes, the energy, for a significant period, was entirely positive.

3. Expansion Period

Development stage. Unity enforced by rote learning of the cult’s slogans. These ideas are often illogical to prove commitment.

Am I alone? The reaction, the anger, the feeling of letdown after the first Ashes Test defeat appears excessive, overdone. England batted badly during the match, as is typical there. They were torn apart in the field for a couple of hours as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, carved around by the opponent batting like England but better, adaptive to conditions, a man playing with brilliance.

Now there is the criticism, the frustration, the sense of English Test cricket as a failure. The feeling seems to be that losing isn’t enough, they must be humbled, to be scoured, flame-throwered, destroyed via traditional methods of the bowler’s action, the conventional tactics of the veteran, seen enjoying his wickets with a bashful smile as if receiving a rewarding prize. What impact will this have?

4. External Conflict

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

In truth, a few days before the upcoming game, we are at a delicious point of tension in the journey of this thing. Victory is possible in the next Test with bold tactics. Probably, failure may follow. In case of defeat it appears we could be witnessing the decline.

Before that happens, a couple of points to consider regarding this. More than two years ago, back in those heady early days, of light and heat, I wrote an article suggesting Bazball was a cult. People were very angry, which demonstrated since it’s clear the best way of proving that it’s not a closed group is if supporters respond with anger rejecting criticism of the beliefs.

What has happened recently are fascinating. It seems that hating Bazball has now become the cult. We have a uniformly angry internet, angry English pundits, pictures of upset followers overseas cheated out of three days of cricket, reminiscent of investors demanding recourse.

Meanwhile, there is the broader context of Australia’s more nuanced ingrained annoyance at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, out there saying, hey, that thing you love and have fostered and nurtured as one way of separating yourself from the opposition, it’s not serious in the end old boy.

And this is the real point. Everything is a cult. The style was a trend because cricket is a cult. In fact, the sport in England is closed, a group, an elite gathering, a restricted environment with a long history of opaque and ritualistic cult history supporting it. Historically, this was where influence is guarded. It’s the British pastime of the nation, the original sports washers. And notably, Britain is itself a cult, a structure of hidden ranks, a monarchy still exists.

England’s cricketers have been enclosed in this system from a young age. In trying to escape from it, to create a less brutal environment, they are mirroring their own experience, building another enclosure, an exclusive group, but doing it this time with a new team and a leader encouraging individuality as long as yourself is quite a lot like myself.

Focus on the moment. Run towards the danger. However much you change, you remain stuck.

Considering this, it might be appropriate to offer compassion for Bazball, to acknowledge its merits, of which there are many. What is Bazball? Promoting liberation. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with