🔗 Share this article

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

1. The Big Idea

A charismatic leader or coaches propose a revolutionary approach that promises a cure for alienated and vulnerable people.

So here we are. Preparations are underway to confront the system down in Brisbane. The gunships are circling. Conflict emerges from the out-houses. A lone figure, exposed, nervous, the words HIGH RELEASE POINT written on his body in chicken blood, has emerged into view and is removed under a blanket for a temporary assignment in county cricket.

Do you recall the early days, when the world was still young? The days of Bazball 1.0, of Bazball without brains.

2. Love-Bombing

Cult leaders guarantee a reboot, a brighter tomorrow, love, salvation together who all believe in the big idea.

What was this thing initially? Players celebrating enjoying success. Ink. Muscles. Focus. Elite male wellness energy. Admittedly, The squad insist they don’t use the label, amusingly because if it doesn’t exist, what did we see?

Yet it’s clear its essence. It’s the batsman executing a stroke so unconventional it’s beyond belief. It’s the thrill of Ben Stokes in his final form, an expression conveying: pensive Nordic god, beard made of wood, hair woven from beaver hide, so authentically Modern Savage you almost imagine to look down and find him positioned in the field shirtless and cradling a wild salmon.

It’s Ben Duckett often seen addressing the media, out there looking like a happy little woodland creature formally attired, expressing thoughts like we are actively deconstructing the orange. And yes, the atmosphere, initially, was only good energy.

3. Expansion Period

Building period. Unity enforced via memorization of key phrases. These ideas are often illogical as a test of “true belief”.

Is it just me? The criticism, the outrage, the sense of betrayal post-defeat appears excessive, overdone. The performance was poor on the field, as is typical there. They were savaged defensively in a short span as plans unraveled, manipulated by Travis Head playing aggressively but smarter, adjusting to the pitch, an athlete shining with aura.

Now there is the criticism, the anger, the perception of the team as a kind of abomination. The opinion suggests that defeat must be total, they need to lose righteously, to be scoured, destroyed, overwhelmed by the vengeful purity of the pace attack, the simple basics of the veteran, seen enjoying achievements humbly similar to getting a nice new fishing rod. What will this do to them?

4. Hate Bonding

Challenges surface from failures in the plan. However, faults are ignored. It begins to thrive on hostility externally.

In truth, half a week out from the second Test, we’ve entered a delicious point of tension in the story of this movement. England could quite easily win overseas through aggressive play. Probably, defeat could come swiftly. In case of defeat it appears we may see the death cult phase.

Prior to that, there are two things to consider about this. In the past, during the initial excitement, of light and heat, a column appeared suggesting Bazball was a cult. People were very angry, which was helpful as it’s known a method to show something definitely isn’t a cult is if supporters react defensively objecting to the questioning of its truths.

What has happened recently is just as interesting. Criticism of the approach has now become the cult. Online outrage is widespread, critical analysts, images of frustrated travelling fans disappointed by the short match, like a room full of investors demanding recourse.

Meanwhile, there is the broader context of Australia’s more nuanced more culturally hard-wired exasperation at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, out there saying, the methods you value and have developed as one way of separating yourself from others, it’s just a joke in the end old boy.

Here lies the truth. Everything is a cult. The style was a trend because cricket is a cult. In fact, English cricket has always been a cult, a group, an elite gathering, a restricted environment with centuries of tradition and mystery behind it. It has long been where influence is guarded. It’s the British pastime of the nation, the early image-makers. And guess what, Britain is itself a cult, a system of unknown levels, a monarchy still exists.

The players have been isolated within this world for years. In trying to escape from it, to foster positivity, they are mirroring their past, building another enclosure, a limited community, however with 15 cool guys and a mentor who wants you to be yourself as long as yourself is quite a lot like myself.

Live where your feet are. Confront risks. 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 the movement, to appreciate its good points, which are significant. What does it represent? Encouraging expression. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with