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The Life Cycle of a Cult can be defined by distinct phases.

1. The Grand Vision

A charismatic leader or leaders propose an innovative concept that promises a cure for struggling players.

And so it goes. Preparations are underway to storm the compound overseas. The gunships are circling. Signs of trouble appear from within. An isolated player, vulnerable, shivering, the slogan POSITIVE INTENT displayed prominently in chicken blood, has come staggering from the field and is being led away with discretion to a different team elsewhere.

Do you ever miss the early days, when the world was still young? The days of Bazball 1.0, of Bazball without brains.

2. Love-Bombing

Movement founders promise a fresh beginning, hope for a future, support, salvation together with shared faith in the method.

What was this thing at first? Just men on a balcony feeling good. Body art. Strength. Jawlines. Confident masculinity. Oh sure, England’s players insist they don’t use the label, ironically as it’s denied, what was that spectacle?

However, everyone understands its essence. It’s the player attempting a move so outrageous it’s beyond belief. It’s the thrill of the leader in his final form, a look that says: thoughtful warrior, strong features, hair woven from beaver hide, genuinely raw you half-expect to look down and find him positioned at mid-off shirtless holding a fish.

It’s Ben Duckett often seen addressing the media, resembling a joyful figure formally attired, expressing thoughts like we are actively deconstructing the orange. Certainly, the energy, initially, was entirely positive.

3. A New Life

Building period. Togetherness strengthened by rote learning of mantras. These beliefs can appear contradictory to prove commitment.

Is it just me? The criticism, the fury, the disappointment post-defeat appears excessive, overdone. England batted badly during the match, as is typical there. They were torn apart defensively in a short span as plans unraveled, manipulated by the batsman imitating their style effectively, responsive to the situation, a man playing with a kind of light around him.

Currently, we see the attacks, the frustration, the sense of English Test cricket as a disgrace. The consensus is that England don’t just need to lose, they should be dismantled, to be cleansed, destroyed, defeated via traditional methods of Mitchell Starc’s movements, the simple basics of Scott Boland, seen enjoying achievements with a bashful smile as if receiving a pleasant gift. How will they respond?

4. The Backlash Phase

Challenges surface from failures in the plan. But the cult cannot admit errors. It starts to feed on hostility externally.

The fact remains, a few days before the next match, we have now reached an intriguing moment in the lifespan of this movement. They might succeed in the next Test with bold tactics. More likely, defeat could come swiftly. Should they fail it feels like we could be witnessing the final stage.

Ahead of this, a couple of points worth saying on the topic. Previously, during the initial excitement, of optimism and energy, a column appeared calling it a phenomenon. Criticism followed, which was helpful since it’s clear the best way of proving that it’s not a closed group is when its acolytes send hundreds of furiously one-eyed messages objecting to the questioning of its truths.

Recent events recently is just as interesting. Opposition to the style has turned into a movement. Social media is furious, disappointed commentators, shots of angry middle-aged supporters abroad disappointed by the short match, like a room full of investors demanding recourse.

On the other hand, there is the broader context of the opponent’s mixed deep-seated frustration at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, out there saying, the methods you value and have honed as part of your identity from the opposition, well, it’s all a bit of a gag ultimately.

And this is the real point. Everything is a cult. Bazball was a cult since the sport itself is insular. Or rather, the sport in England is closed, a clique, a garden party, a restricted environment with a long history of opaque and ritualistic cult history supporting it. It has long been where influence is guarded. It’s the colonial game of the British, the early image-makers. And notably, the nation has its own culture, a series of esoteric hierarchies, a royal family remains.

England’s cricketers have been enclosed in this environment since childhood. In trying to escape from it, to create a less brutal environment, they are mirroring their upbringing, creating another a bubble, a closed circle, however with 15 cool guys and a leader promoting authenticity if you fit the mold.

Stay present. Embrace challenges. Despite efforts, you remain stuck.

Considering this, now is the time to offer compassion for Bazball, to appreciate its good points, which are significant. What is Bazball? Promoting liberation. Questioning traditions. Batting aggressively|Attacking with