🔗 Share this article

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

1. The Big Idea

A dominant personality or leaders present a new and transcendent idea pledging a panacea for disconnected individuals.

And so it goes. They’re getting ready to storm the compound down in Brisbane. Tensions are rising. Signs of trouble appear from within. One individual, vulnerable, nervous, the phrase ATTACKING MINDSET displayed prominently in chicken blood, has come staggering into view and is being led away in secrecy for a temporary assignment at Derbyshire.

Do you ever miss the early days, when everything was fresh? The era of early Bazball, of Bazball without brains.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Movement founders promise a fresh beginning, hope for a future, support, redemption within a community united in belief in the philosophy.

How did it feel initially? Just men on a balcony basking in glory. Tattoos. Muscles. Focus. Confident masculinity. Of course, England’s players will claim Bazball doesn’t actually exist, amusingly because if it doesn’t exist, what was that spectacle?

But we know what it is. It’s Harry Brook attempting a move so depraved it has to be pixelated. It’s the adrenaline of the leader at his peak, an expression conveying: thoughtful warrior, strong features, untamed style, so authentically Modern Savage you almost imagine to look down and see him playing on the ground bare-chested and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s Ben Duckett still being allowed addressing the media, appearing as a happy little woodland creature formally attired, saying stuff like we’re breaking down traditions. Certainly, the vibe, initially, was uplifting.

3. A New Life

Growth phase. Togetherness strengthened through repetition of key phrases. These beliefs can appear contradictory as a loyalty check.

Is it just me? The reaction, the outrage, the disappointment following the initial loss appears excessive, overdone. The batting collapsed on the field, as history shows. They were dominated defensively for a couple of hours when tactics failed, outplayed by Travis Head playing aggressively but smarter, adjusting to the pitch, an athlete shining with aura.

And now we have this the pile-on, the anger, the view of the sport as a kind of abomination. The consensus is that England don’t just need to lose, they must be humbled, to be scoured, flame-throwered, destroyed through sheer skill of the bowler’s action, the simple basics of the veteran, out there celebrating successes modestly like he’s just been given a nice new fishing rod. What impact will this have?

4. The Backlash Phase

Challenges surface due to setbacks. Yet, mistakes are denied. It starts to feed on hatred of the outside world.

Ultimately, half a week out the next match, we have now reached an intriguing moment in the lifespan of this thing. They might succeed overseas in a blur of adrenal disruption. Probably, defeat could come swiftly. And if they do lose it feels like we really might be entering the death cult phase.

Prior to that, a couple of points to note regarding this. More than two years ago, during the initial excitement, of light and heat, a column appeared suggesting Bazball was a cult. People were very angry, which demonstrated because everyone knows the best way of proving something definitely isn’t a cult is if supporters react defensively rejecting criticism of the beliefs.

What has happened recently are equally notable. It seems that hating Bazball has turned into a movement. We have a uniformly angry internet, critical analysts, pictures of upset travelling fans missing out on play, reminiscent of timeshare owners seeking justice.

Meanwhile, exists the larger scene of the host’s complex deep-seated frustration at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, stating, your cherished traditions and have honed as one way of separating yourself from others, well, it’s all a bit of a gag after all.

Here lies the truth. All movements are similar. The approach was a phenomenon as the game has its own culture. In fact, the team has long been exclusive, a circle, a garden party, a closed world with a long history of ceremonial past defining it. It has long been where influence is guarded. It’s the colonial game of the British, the original sports washers. And surprisingly, Britain is itself a cult, a structure of hidden ranks, a place that literally still has a king.

England’s cricketers have been enclosed in this environment from a young age. Attempting to break free, to create a less brutal environment, they are just repeating their past, creating another a bubble, an exclusive group, but now with a modern squad and a leader encouraging individuality if you fit the mold.

Live where your feet are. Run towards the danger. But no matter how fast and far you run, you remain stuck.

Reflecting on this, now is the time to offer compassion for the approach, to appreciate its good points, of which there are many. What does it represent? Creating a sense of freedom. Defying norms. Batting aggressively|Attacking with