🔗 Share this article

The Journey of a Cult tends to be marked by specific steps.

1. The Core Concept

An inspiring figure or leaders introduce a revolutionary approach pledging a panacea for alienated and vulnerable people.

And so it goes. Preparations are underway to storm the compound down in Brisbane. The gunships are circling. Smoke is rising from the sidelines. One individual, naked, anxious, the slogan POSITIVE INTENT displayed prominently as a statement, has emerged through the lines and is being led away under a blanket for a temporary assignment at Derbyshire.

Do you ever miss the early days, when optimism reigned? The initial phase, of Bazball without brains.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Cult leaders offer a reboot, hope for a future, love, salvation together united in belief in the philosophy.

How did it feel initially? Players celebrating enjoying success. Body art. Muscles. Determination. Confident masculinity. Admittedly, The team often say it’s not a real term, amusingly as it’s denied, what exactly did I just watch?

Yet it’s clear what it is. It’s the player executing a stroke so depraved it defies description. It’s the excitement of the leader at his peak, an expression conveying: pensive Nordic god, strong features, natural look, genuinely raw you almost imagine to glance over and see him playing at mid-off bare-chested holding a fish.

It’s the batsman continuing to have permission addressing the media, resembling a happy little woodland creature formally attired, saying stuff like we’re challenging norms. Certainly, the atmosphere, initially, was uplifting.

3. The Growth Phase

Building period. Unity enforced through repetition of mantras. These beliefs may seem irrational as a test of “true belief”.

Am I alone? The criticism, the anger, the disappointment after the first Ashes Test defeat appears excessive, too much. England batted badly during the match, as they often do in Australia. They were torn apart in the field in a short span as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, manipulated by Travis Head batting like England but better, adjusting to the pitch, a performer excelling with aura.

Currently, we see the attacks, the anger, the perception of the team as a failure. The feeling seems to be that losing isn’t enough, they should be dismantled, to be cleansed, flame-throwered, overwhelmed through sheer skill of the pace attack, the low-fi orthodoxies of Scott Boland, out there celebrating his wickets humbly like he’s just been given a rewarding prize. What will this do to them?

4. The Backlash Phase

Problems arise due to setbacks. But the cult cannot admit errors. It begins to thrive on hostility externally.

Ultimately, half a week out from the second Test, we have now reached an intriguing moment in the story of this approach. England could quite easily win overseas in a blur of adrenal disruption. Probably, defeat could come swiftly. Should they fail it feels like we could be witnessing the final stage.

Prior to that, a couple of points to consider about this. More than two years ago, at the start, of passion and hope, I wrote an article labeling it a movement. There was outrage, which demonstrated since it’s clear the best way of proving lack of cult status is if supporters send hundreds of furiously one-eyed messages rejecting criticism of the philosophy.

What has happened 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 investors demanding recourse.

Conversely, we have the wider backdrop of Australia’s more nuanced deep-seated frustration towards the unconventional visitors, stating, the methods you value and have fostered and nurtured as part of your identity culturally from us, well, it’s all a bit of a gag after all.

Here lies the truth. All movements are similar. The style was a trend because cricket is a cult. In fact, the team has long been exclusive, a clique, a private event, an insular community with a long history of ceremonial past behind it. It has long been where entry is limited. It’s the imperial sport of England, the early image-makers. And guess what, the country is a phenomenon, a system of unknown levels, a royal family remains.

England’s cricketers have been enclosed within this world from a young age. Seeking change, to foster positivity, they are mirroring their upbringing, forming a new circle, a closed circle, but doing it this time with a new team and a coach encouraging individuality provided you conform.

Stay present. Run towards the danger. But no matter how fast and far you run, you’re always basically in the same place.

Reflecting on this, now is the time to offer compassion for Bazball, to acknowledge its merits, of which there are many. What is Bazball? Encouraging expression. Defying norms. Batting aggressively|Attacking with