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The Journey of a Cult tends to be defined by clear stages.

1. The Core Concept

A charismatic leader or figureheads propose a revolutionary approach pledging a panacea for disconnected individuals.

So here we are. Preparations are underway to confront the system down in Brisbane. Tensions are rising. Smoke is rising from the out-houses. A lone figure, exposed, nervous, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT displayed prominently as a symbol, has emerged into view and is removed in secrecy towards an inconclusive loan stint in county cricket.

Do you recall the start, when everything was fresh? The days of Bazball 1.0, of pure instinct.

2. Love-Bombing

Movement founders promise a new start, hope for a future, love, salvation together with shared faith in the philosophy.

How did it feel back then? Just men on a balcony enjoying success. Body art. Forearms. Focus. Elite male wellness energy. Of course, The team often say Bazball doesn’t actually exist, ironically as it’s denied, what exactly did I just watch?

Yet it’s clear the concept. It’s the batsman playing a shot so unconventional it’s beyond belief. It’s the excitement of the captain at his peak, a demeanor suggesting: thoughtful warrior, strong features, untamed style, genuinely raw you almost imagine to notice and find him positioned on the ground bare-chested holding a fish.

It’s the opener continuing to have permission to talk in press conferences, out there looking like a cheerful animal smartly dressed, expressing thoughts like we are actively deconstructing the orange. And yes, the vibe, initially, was only good energy.

3. A New Life

Development stage. Unity enforced by rote learning of key phrases. These principles may seem irrational to prove commitment.

Does anyone else feel? The criticism, the outrage, the feeling of letdown following the initial loss feels overblown, unwarranted. England batted badly in Perth, as history shows. They were savaged defensively in a short span when tactics failed, manipulated by the batsman batting like England but better, adjusting to the pitch, a performer excelling with brilliance.

Now there is the pile-on, the anger, the view of the sport as a failure. The opinion suggests that defeat must be total, they should be dismantled, to be cleansed, obliterated, defeated via traditional methods of the pace attack, the low-fi orthodoxies of Scott Boland, marking achievements modestly like he’s just been given a rewarding prize. What impact will this have?

4. The Backlash Phase

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

Ultimately, half a week out the upcoming game, we’ve entered a delicious point of tension in the journey of this movement. England could quite easily win in Brisbane in a blur of adrenal disruption. More likely, failure may follow. In case of defeat it feels like we may see the decline.

Prior to that, a couple of points worth saying about this. More than two years ago, at the start, of light and heat, a column appeared calling it a phenomenon. Criticism followed, which proved the point as it’s known the best way of proving that it’s not a closed group is when its acolytes react defensively rejecting criticism of the philosophy.

The developments lately is just as interesting. Criticism of the approach is now the trend. Social media is furious, critical analysts, shots of angry middle-aged supporters abroad missing out on play, similar to people wanting fairness.

Conversely, there is the broader context of the host’s complex ingrained annoyance at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, out there saying, the methods you value and have fostered and nurtured as part of your identity from the opposition, it’s not serious ultimately.

And this is the real point. 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 clique, an elite gathering, an insular community with two hundred years of tradition and mystery defining it. It has long been where entry is limited. It’s the British pastime of the British, the original sports washers. And notably, the nation has its own culture, a series of esoteric hierarchies, a monarchy still exists.

The team have been isolated in this environment for years. In trying to escape from it, to foster positivity, they are simply replicating their past, building another enclosure, a limited community, but doing it this time with a new team and a mentor promoting authenticity as long as yourself is quite a lot like myself.

Focus on the moment. Embrace challenges. However much you change, you remain stuck.

With this mind, now is the time to offer compassion for Bazball, to appreciate its good points, which are significant. What does it represent? Promoting liberation. Defying norms. Batting aggressively|Attacking with