🔗 Share this article

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

1. The Big Idea

A dominant personality or coaches present a revolutionary approach that promises a panacea for alienated and vulnerable people.

So here we are. Plans are in motion to storm the compound down in Brisbane. Tensions are rising. Conflict emerges from the out-houses. One individual, exposed, nervous, the slogan POSITIVE INTENT smeared across his chest in chicken blood, has come staggering through the lines and is being led away under a blanket for a temporary assignment at Derbyshire.

Do you ever miss the early days, when the world was still young? The era of early Bazball, of pure instinct.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Team architects guarantee a new start, a brighter tomorrow, camaraderie, salvation together with shared faith in the philosophy.

What was this thing initially? Players celebrating feeling good. Tattoos. Strength. Focus. Elite male wellness energy. Of course, The team insist it’s not a real term, which is funny since it’s not recognized, what was that spectacle?

But we know its essence. It’s Harry Brook attempting a move so unconventional it’s beyond belief. It’s the adrenaline of Ben Stokes at his peak, a look that says: pensive Nordic god, beard made of wood, untamed style, genuinely raw you half-expect to glance over and find him positioned on the ground stripped to the waist and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s the batsman often seen speaking publicly, appearing as a cheerful animal formally attired, saying stuff like we are actively deconstructing the orange. Certainly, the energy, initially, was entirely positive.

3. The Growth Phase

Growth phase. Togetherness strengthened via memorization of key phrases. These ideas are often illogical as a test of “true belief”.

Am I alone? The reaction, the outrage, the disappointment post-defeat appears excessive, overdone. The performance was poor on the field, as history shows. They were savaged while bowling for a couple of hours when tactics failed, manipulated by the batsman playing aggressively but smarter, adaptive to conditions, a performer excelling with brilliance.

And now we have this the attacks, the frustration, the perception of the team as a kind of abomination. The feeling seems to be that defeat must be total, they need to lose righteously, to be cleansed, obliterated, overwhelmed by the vengeful purity of the pace attack, the conventional tactics of the bowler, seen enjoying successes with a bashful smile as if receiving 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.

Ultimately, half a week out the upcoming game, we have now reached a delicious point of tension in the story of this thing. They might succeed overseas in a blur of adrenal disruption. More likely, they could lose just as quickly. And if they do lose it feels like we may see the final stage.

Before that happens, a couple of points to note on the topic. More than two years ago, during the initial excitement, of passion and hope, an piece was published suggesting Bazball was a cult. There was outrage, which was helpful as it’s known the best way of proving lack of cult status is if supporters respond with anger objecting to the questioning of its truths.

Recent events recently are equally notable. Opposition to the style has now become the cult. Online outrage is widespread, critical analysts, shots of angry middle-aged followers overseas disappointed by the short match, reminiscent of people wanting fairness.

On the other hand, there is the broader context of the host’s complex ingrained annoyance with the aggressive tourists, stating, your cherished traditions and have honed to distinguish yourselves from the opposition, well, it’s all a bit of a gag in the end old boy.

Here lies the truth. Everything is a cult. The style was a trend as the game has its own culture. Or rather, English cricket has always been a cult, a group, a garden party, a closed world with two hundred years of ceremonial past supporting it. It has long been where entry is limited. It’s the British pastime of the nation, the original sports washers. And notably, Britain is itself a cult, a system of unknown levels, a royal family remains.

The players have been isolated in this system from a young age. Seeking change, to create a less brutal environment, they are mirroring their past, building another enclosure, a closed circle, but doing it this time with 15 cool guys and a coach who wants you to be yourself as long as yourself is quite a lot like myself.

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

Reflecting on this, it is perhaps the moment to offer compassion for the approach, to appreciate its good points, that are numerous. What is Bazball? Promoting liberation. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with