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

1. The Grand Vision

A dominant personality or leaders propose a new and transcendent idea that promises a cure for alienated and vulnerable people.

So here we are. They’re getting ready to challenge the establishment down in Brisbane. Tensions are rising. Conflict emerges from the sidelines. A lone figure, exposed, anxious, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT displayed prominently in chicken blood, has stumbled from the field and is being led away in secrecy towards an inconclusive loan stint in county cricket.

Remember the start, when the world was still young? The days of Bazball 1.0, of uninhibited aggression.

2. Love-Bombing

Cult leaders offer a fresh beginning, hope for a future, love, redemption together who all believe in the big idea.

What did it represent initially? Just men on a balcony feeling good. Ink. Muscles. Focus. Peak performance vibes. Oh sure, The squad often say they don’t use the label, ironically as it’s denied, what was that spectacle?

However, everyone understands the concept. It’s the batsman attempting a move so unconventional it’s beyond belief. It’s the thrill of Ben Stokes in ultimate mode, a look that says: focused titan, beard made of wood, natural look, truly contemporary you wouldn’t be surprised to glance over and find him positioned at mid-off shirtless and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s the batsman still being allowed to talk in press conferences, resembling a cheerful animal smartly dressed, saying stuff like we’re breaking down traditions. Indeed, the energy, for quite a long time, was uplifting.

3. A New Life

Development stage. Cohesion maintained via memorization of the cult’s slogans. These principles can appear contradictory as a loyalty check.

Is it just me? The criticism, the anger, the feeling of letdown following the initial loss appears excessive, unwarranted. The performance was poor in Perth, as they often do in Australia. They were torn apart while bowling for a couple of hours as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, manipulated by the batsman batting like England but better, responsive to the situation, a man playing with a kind of light around him.

And now we have this the criticism, the frustration, the view of the sport as a disgrace. The consensus is that England don’t just need to lose, they need to lose righteously, to be scoured, flame-throwered, overwhelmed via traditional methods of Mitchell Starc’s movements, the simple basics of the bowler, marking his wickets with a bashful smile like he’s just been given a nice new fishing rod. What impact will this have?

4. Hate Bonding

Problems arise because of mistakes. Yet, mistakes are denied. It begins to thrive on hostility externally.

The fact remains, half a week out the next match, we have now reached an intriguing moment in the lifespan of this approach. Victory is possible in the next Test in a blur of adrenal disruption. Probably, defeat could come swiftly. Should they fail it seems we really might be entering the death cult phase.

Before that happens, a couple of points to note on the topic. Previously, back in those heady early days, of passion and hope, I wrote an article calling it a phenomenon. People were very angry, which demonstrated because everyone knows the best way of proving lack of cult status is if supporters send hundreds of furiously one-eyed messages denying scrutiny of the beliefs.

What has happened in the last few days is just as interesting. It seems that hating Bazball has turned into a movement. Online outrage is widespread, disappointed commentators, shots of angry middle-aged supporters abroad missing out on play, similar to people wanting fairness.

Conversely, we have the wider backdrop of the opponent’s mixed ingrained annoyance towards the unconventional visitors, stating, your cherished traditions and have developed as one way of separating yourself from the opposition, it’s not serious after all.

Here lies the truth. All movements are similar. The approach was a phenomenon because cricket is a cult. Or rather, English cricket has always been a cult, a circle, a garden party, a closed world with a long history of opaque and ritualistic cult history behind it. It has long been a place where power and access are hoarded. It’s the imperial sport of England, the early image-makers. And notably, Britain is itself a cult, a structure of hidden ranks, a royal family remains.

The players have been sealed up within this world from a young age. In trying to escape from it, to build a better atmosphere, they are mirroring their own experience, building another enclosure, a limited community, but now with a new team and a mentor promoting authenticity if you fit the mold.

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

With this mind, now is the time to have some sympathy for the movement, to acknowledge its merits, that are numerous. What is Bazball? Encouraging expression. Questioning traditions. Batting aggressively|Attacking with