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The Journey of a Cult can be marked by distinct phases.

1. The Grand Vision

A charismatic leader or leaders introduce an innovative concept pledging a panacea for alienated and vulnerable people.

Thus we find ourselves. Plans are in motion to confront the system overseas. Tensions are rising. Signs of trouble appear from the sidelines. An isolated player, vulnerable, shivering, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT smeared across his chest as a statement, has come staggering into view and is removed under a blanket towards an inconclusive loan stint at Derbyshire.

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

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Movement founders guarantee a fresh beginning, hope for a future, camaraderie, salvation within a community who all believe in the method.

How did it feel initially? Players celebrating basking in glory. Body art. Muscles. Jawlines. Peak performance vibes. Admittedly, The squad insist they don’t use the label, ironically because if it doesn’t exist, what did we see?

But we know what it is. It’s the batsman attempting a move so outrageous it has to be pixelated. It’s the thrill of the captain in ultimate mode, an expression conveying: pensive Nordic god, strong features, hair woven from beaver hide, truly contemporary you half-expect to glance over and find him positioned in the field bare-chested and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s the batsman often seen addressing the media, resembling a happy little woodland creature in a waistcoat, expressing thoughts like we’re breaking down traditions. Certainly, the energy, for quite a long time, was uplifting.

3. The Growth Phase

Development stage. Togetherness strengthened via memorization of key phrases. These beliefs may seem irrational as a loyalty check.

Am I alone? The reaction, the anger, the feeling of letdown post-defeat feels overblown, overdone. The batting collapsed during the match, as they often do in Australia. They were dominated in the field in a short span as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, outplayed by Travis Head batting like England but better, responsive to the situation, a man playing with aura.

Now there is the pile-on, the rage, the sense of English Test cricket as a failure. The consensus is that defeat must be total, they should be dismantled, to be cleansed, destroyed, overwhelmed via traditional methods of the bowler’s action, the low-fi orthodoxies of Scott Boland, seen enjoying achievements modestly as if receiving a nice new fishing rod. What impact will this have?

4. Hate Bonding

Problems arise because of mistakes. But the cult cannot admit errors. It starts to feed on hatred of the outside world.

In truth, a few days before the upcoming game, we’ve entered a critical juncture in the story of this movement. They might succeed in Brisbane in a blur of adrenal disruption. More likely, failure may follow. And if they do lose it feels like we may see the decline.

Prior to that, a couple of points to consider about this. Previously, at the start, of light and heat, I wrote an article suggesting Bazball was a cult. People were very angry, which proved the point because everyone knows the best way of proving that it’s not a closed group is if supporters respond with anger rejecting criticism of the philosophy.

The developments recently is just as interesting. Criticism of the approach has now become the cult. Online outrage is widespread, disappointed commentators, shots of angry middle-aged travelling fans cheated out of three days of cricket, reminiscent of timeshare owners seeking justice.

Conversely, there is the broader context of the host’s complex deep-seated frustration at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, stating, hey, that thing you love and have developed as part of your identity 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. Bazball was a cult since the sport itself is insular. Or rather, the team has long been exclusive, a group, a private event, an insular community with a long history of ceremonial past behind it. It has long been where influence is guarded. It’s the colonial game of the nation, the early image-makers. And notably, the nation has its own culture, a system of unknown levels, a royal family remains.

The players have been sealed up in this environment from a young age. In trying to escape from it, to build a better atmosphere, they are simply replicating their own experience, creating another a bubble, an exclusive group, but doing it this time with 15 cool guys and a coach encouraging individuality provided you conform.

Focus on the moment. Confront risks. However much you change, you remain stuck.

Considering this, it is perhaps the moment to show understanding for the movement, to appreciate its good points, that are numerous. What does it represent? Promoting liberation. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with