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The Life Cycle of a Cult is often defined by distinct phases.

1. The Big Idea

An inspiring figure or coaches introduce an innovative concept that promises a panacea for alienated and vulnerable people.

So here we are. Preparations are underway to storm the compound down in Brisbane. Pressure is mounting. Signs of trouble appear from the sidelines. A lone figure, naked, anxious, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT smeared across his chest as a symbol, has emerged through the lines and is removed in secrecy to a different team elsewhere.

Remember the start, when the world was still young? The era of early Bazball, of pure instinct.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Cult leaders promise a reboot, hope for a future, camaraderie, success among a group with shared faith in the big idea.

What was this thing back then? Just men on a balcony basking in glory. Body art. Strength. Focus. Confident masculinity. Admittedly, The squad insist Bazball doesn’t actually exist, ironically since it’s not recognized, what was that spectacle?

But we know what it is. It’s the player playing a shot so unconventional it defies description. It’s the excitement of the captain at his peak, an expression conveying: thoughtful warrior, rugged appearance, untamed style, truly contemporary you wouldn’t be surprised to glance over and find him positioned at mid-off stripped to the waist embracing nature.

It’s the batsman often seen speaking publicly, appearing as a joyful figure in a waistcoat, expressing thoughts like we are actively deconstructing the orange. Certainly, the energy, for quite a long time, was entirely positive.

3. A New Life

Growth phase. Unity enforced through repetition of key phrases. These ideas are often illogical as a test of “true belief”.

Am I alone? The reaction, the outrage, the sense of betrayal post-defeat appears excessive, too much. The performance was poor in Perth, as is typical there. They were dominated defensively for a couple of hours as plans unraveled, manipulated by the opponent batting like England but better, adaptive to conditions, a man playing with a kind of light around him.

And now we have this the attacks, the anger, the perception of the team as a kind of abomination. The feeling seems to be that losing isn’t enough, they should be dismantled, to be scoured, obliterated, overwhelmed by the vengeful purity of Mitchell Starc’s movements, the low-fi orthodoxies of the veteran, marking successes with a bashful smile as if receiving a rewarding prize. What will this do to them?

4. The Backlash Phase

Challenges surface because of mistakes. Yet, mistakes are denied. It begins to thrive on anger towards critics.

The fact remains, approaching the next match, we’ve entered an intriguing moment in the story of this thing. They might succeed in the next Test with bold tactics. Alternatively, defeat could come swiftly. In case of defeat it seems we could be witnessing the decline.

Before that happens, a couple of points to note on the topic. In the past, during the initial excitement, of light and heat, an piece was published calling it a phenomenon. People were very angry, which demonstrated because everyone knows the best way of proving something definitely isn’t a cult is if supporters respond with anger denying scrutiny of its truths.

The developments in the last few days are equally notable. Opposition to the style is now the trend. Social media is furious, critical analysts, images of frustrated travelling fans missing out on play, reminiscent of people wanting fairness.

On the other hand, exists the larger scene of the opponent’s mixed ingrained annoyance towards the unconventional visitors, claiming, your cherished traditions and have fostered and nurtured as one way of separating yourself culturally from us, it’s not serious after all.

And this is the real point. It’s all cults. Bazball was a cult since the sport itself is insular. Or at least, the sport in England is closed, a circle, a private event, a closed world with a long history of opaque and ritualistic cult history defining it. It has long been a place where power and access are hoarded. It’s the colonial game of England, the original sports washers. And surprisingly, Britain is itself a cult, a structure of hidden ranks, a place that literally still has a king.

The team have been sealed up within this world for years. Seeking change, to foster positivity, they are just repeating their upbringing, building another enclosure, a limited community, however with 15 cool guys and a coach who wants you to be yourself provided you conform.

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

With this mind, it is perhaps the moment to have some sympathy for Bazball, to appreciate its good points, that are numerous. What is Bazball? Encouraging expression. Questioning traditions. Batting aggressively|Attacking with