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The Life Cycle of a Cult tends to be characterized by distinct phases.

1. The Grand Vision

A dominant personality or coaches present a revolutionary approach offering a solution for alienated and vulnerable people.

Thus we find ourselves. Preparations are underway to confront the system overseas. Tensions are rising. Signs of trouble appear from within. An isolated player, exposed, nervous, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT written on his body in chicken blood, has stumbled into view and is taken aside in secrecy towards an inconclusive loan stint in county cricket.

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

2. Initial Adoration

Team architects guarantee a fresh beginning, hope for a future, camaraderie, redemption among a group who all believe in the big idea.

What was this thing back then? A team united enjoying success. Body art. Muscles. Focus. Elite male wellness energy. Of course, The team will claim Bazball doesn’t actually exist, amusingly because if it doesn’t exist, what did we see?

However, everyone understands its essence. It’s Harry Brook executing a stroke so depraved it defies description. It’s the thrill of Ben Stokes at his peak, an expression conveying: focused titan, strong features, untamed style, so authentically Modern Savage you almost imagine to glance over and notice he’s fielding on the ground shirtless holding a fish.

It’s Ben Duckett still being allowed to talk in press conferences, resembling a happy little woodland creature in a waistcoat, expressing thoughts like we’re challenging norms. Certainly, the vibe, for quite a long time, was entirely positive.

3. A New Life

Development stage. Cohesion maintained through repetition of key phrases. These beliefs may seem irrational as a loyalty check.

Am I alone? The reaction, the anger, the feeling of letdown after the first Ashes Test defeat feels overblown, unwarranted. England batted badly during the match, as they often do in Australia. They were torn apart defensively for a couple of hours as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, outplayed by the opponent imitating their style effectively, adaptive to conditions, a performer excelling with brilliance.

Now there is the pile-on, the rage, the perception of the team as a failure. The consensus is that England don’t just need to lose, they should be dismantled, to be cleansed, obliterated, defeated via traditional methods of the pace attack, the low-fi orthodoxies of Scott Boland, out there celebrating achievements with a bashful smile as if receiving a nice new fishing rod. What impact will this have?

4. External Conflict

Issues emerge from failures in the plan. But the cult cannot admit errors. It begins to thrive on hatred of the outside world.

Ultimately, approaching the next match, we’ve entered a delicious point of tension in the journey of this approach. They might succeed in the next Test in a blur of adrenal disruption. More likely, defeat could come swiftly. Should they fail it feels like we could be witnessing the death cult phase.

Ahead of this, several aspects worth saying regarding this. Previously, at the start, of optimism and energy, a column appeared suggesting Bazball was a cult. Criticism followed, which proved the point as it’s known how to confirm that it’s not a closed group is when its acolytes react defensively rejecting criticism of the beliefs.

Recent events lately is just as interesting. It seems that hating Bazball has now become the cult. Social media is furious, critical analysts, shots of angry middle-aged followers overseas missing out on play, similar to investors demanding recourse.

Meanwhile, we have the wider backdrop of the opponent’s mixed deep-seated frustration with the aggressive tourists, out there saying, your cherished traditions and have honed as one way of separating yourself culturally from us, it’s not serious after all.

Here lies the truth. It’s all cults. Bazball was a cult as the game has its own culture. Or rather, English cricket has always been a cult, a clique, a garden party, a restricted environment with a long history of ceremonial past behind it. Historically, this was where entry is limited. It’s the imperial sport of the British, the original sports washers. And notably, the nation has its own culture, a structure of hidden ranks, a royal family remains.

England’s cricketers have been enclosed in this environment since childhood. Seeking change, to build a better atmosphere, they are mirroring their upbringing, creating another a bubble, a limited community, but doing it this time with a modern squad and a coach promoting authenticity as long as yourself is quite a lot like myself.

Live where your feet are. Confront risks. However much you change, you remain stuck.

With this mind, now is the time to show understanding for the movement, to appreciate its good points, which are significant. What is Bazball? Promoting liberation. Defying norms. Batting aggressively|Attacking with