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The Evolution of a Movement is often characterized by clear stages.

1. The Big Idea

A dominant personality or coaches propose a revolutionary approach pledging a panacea for alienated and vulnerable people.

Thus we find ourselves. Plans are in motion to challenge the establishment down in Brisbane. Tensions are rising. Conflict emerges from within. A lone figure, naked, nervous, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT written on his body in chicken blood, has stumbled from the field and is being led away in secrecy towards an inconclusive loan stint at Derbyshire.

Remember the start, when the world was still young? The days of Bazball 1.0, of Bazball without brains.

2. Initial Adoration

Cult leaders guarantee a fresh beginning, hope for a future, love, salvation among a group who all believe in the big idea.

How did it feel at first? Players celebrating enjoying success. Tattoos. Strength. Determination. Confident masculinity. Admittedly, England’s players often say Bazball doesn’t actually exist, amusingly since it’s not recognized, what exactly did I just watch?

However, everyone understands what it is. It’s the batsman executing a stroke so depraved it’s beyond belief. It’s the adrenaline of Ben Stokes at his peak, a look that says: thoughtful warrior, beard made of wood, hair woven from beaver hide, truly contemporary you half-expect to notice and see him playing at mid-off bare-chested and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s Ben Duckett still being allowed speaking publicly, out there looking like a cheerful animal smartly dressed, saying stuff like we’re challenging norms. And yes, the energy, for quite a long time, was only good energy.

3. Expansion Period

Development stage. Cohesion maintained via memorization of the cult’s slogans. These ideas are often illogical as a test of “true belief”.

Is it just me? The criticism, the anger, the feeling of letdown post-defeat seems too strong, too much. The performance was poor during the match, as history shows. They were torn apart defensively in a short span as the bowling and captaincy fell apart, carved around by the opponent imitating their style effectively, adaptive to conditions, a man playing with brilliance.

Now there is the pile-on, the rage, the view of the sport as a failure. The feeling seems to be that losing isn’t enough, they must be humbled, to be purged, flame-throwered, destroyed through sheer skill of Mitchell Starc’s movements, the simple basics of the veteran, marking achievements humbly like he’s just been given a rewarding prize. What will this do to them?

4. Hate Bonding

Challenges surface because of mistakes. Yet, mistakes are denied. It begins to thrive on hatred of the outside world.

In truth, approaching from the second Test, we have now reached a delicious point of tension in the journey of this movement. Victory is possible in the next Test with bold tactics. More likely, defeat could come swiftly. Should they fail it appears we could be witnessing the decline.

Ahead of this, several aspects to note about this. Previously, at the start, of passion and hope, an piece was published calling it a phenomenon. Criticism followed, which proved the point as it’s known how to confirm lack of cult status is should followers respond with anger objecting to the questioning of the philosophy.

The developments recently are equally notable. Opposition to the style has now become the cult. Social media is furious, angry English pundits, shots of angry middle-aged travelling fans disappointed by the short match, reminiscent of people wanting fairness.

Meanwhile, we have the wider backdrop of the opponent’s mixed deep-seated frustration at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, claiming, the methods you value and have fostered and nurtured as part of your identity from the opposition, it’s just a joke in the end old boy.

This is the core issue. It’s all cults. Bazball was a cult as the game has its own culture. Or at least, English cricket has always been a cult, a circle, an elite gathering, a restricted environment with a long history of tradition and mystery supporting it. It has long been where influence is guarded. It’s the British pastime of England, the pioneering brand. And guess what, Britain is itself a cult, a system of unknown levels, a place that literally still has a king.

England’s cricketers have been enclosed in this environment since childhood. Seeking change, to foster positivity, they are just repeating their past, creating another a bubble, an exclusive group, however with 15 cool guys and a mentor promoting authenticity if you fit the mold.

Focus on the moment. Confront risks. Despite efforts, you’re always basically in the same place.

With this mind, it is perhaps the moment to offer compassion for the approach, to appreciate its good points, which are significant. What does it represent? Promoting liberation. Defying norms. Batting aggressively|Attacking with