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The Journey of a Cult tends to be defined by distinct phases.

1. The Core Concept

A charismatic leader or leaders introduce a revolutionary approach offering a panacea for disconnected individuals.

Thus we find ourselves. Preparations are underway to storm the compound in Australia. Tensions are rising. Signs of trouble appear from within. An isolated player, vulnerable, anxious, the phrase ATTACKING MINDSET displayed prominently as a statement, has stumbled through the lines and is removed under a blanket for a temporary assignment elsewhere.

Do you recall the start, when the world was still young? The initial phase, of uninhibited aggression.

2. The Honeymoon Phase

Movement founders guarantee a new start, a brighter tomorrow, camaraderie, salvation among a group who all believe in the method.

How did it feel initially? A team united feeling good. Tattoos. Forearms. Jawlines. Elite male wellness energy. Of course, The team often say they don’t use the label, amusingly because if it doesn’t exist, what was that spectacle?

However, everyone understands its essence. It’s the batsman attempting a move so depraved it has to be pixelated. It’s the excitement of the leader at his peak, an expression conveying: pensive Nordic god, beard made of wood, hair woven from beaver hide, genuinely raw you wouldn’t be surprised to look down and find him positioned in the field shirtless holding a fish.

It’s Ben Duckett often seen to talk in press conferences, out there looking like a cheerful animal formally attired, expressing thoughts like we are actively deconstructing the orange. Indeed, the vibe, initially, was uplifting.

3. The Growth Phase

Building period. Togetherness strengthened through repetition of mantras. These principles can appear contradictory to prove commitment.

Does anyone else feel? The criticism, the anger, the sense of betrayal after the first Ashes Test defeat seems too strong, unwarranted. England batted badly in Perth, as they often do in Australia. They were torn apart defensively during a brief period when tactics failed, carved around by the batsman imitating their style effectively, responsive to the situation, 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 defeat must be total, they should be dismantled, to be cleansed, flame-throwered, destroyed by the vengeful purity of the bowler’s action, the low-fi orthodoxies of the veteran, marking achievements humbly like he’s just been given a pleasant gift. What impact will this have?

4. External Conflict

Challenges surface due to setbacks. But the cult cannot admit errors. It starts to feed on anger towards critics.

In truth, a few days before from the second Test, we have now reached a delicious point of tension in the lifespan of this movement. England could quite easily win in Brisbane with bold tactics. Alternatively, defeat could come swiftly. In case of defeat it feels like we may see the death cult phase.

Ahead of this, there are two things worth saying on the topic. In the past, back in those heady early days, of light and heat, I wrote an article calling it a phenomenon. Criticism followed, which was helpful as it’s known the best way of proving something definitely isn’t a cult is if supporters react defensively objecting to the questioning of the beliefs.

What has happened recently are fascinating. Criticism of the approach has turned into a movement. We have a uniformly angry internet, disappointed commentators, pictures of upset supporters abroad missing out on play, like a room full of investors demanding recourse.

Meanwhile, we have the wider backdrop of the opponent’s mixed deep-seated frustration at these weirdly passive-aggressive buccaneers, stating, your cherished traditions and have honed to distinguish yourselves culturally from us, it’s not serious in the end old boy.

This is the core issue. It’s all cults. The approach was a phenomenon as the game has its own culture. In fact, the team has long been exclusive, a clique, a private event, a closed world with a long history of ceremonial past supporting it. This has always 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 series of esoteric hierarchies, a place that literally still has a king.

England’s cricketers have been enclosed in this system for years. Seeking change, to create a less brutal environment, they are simply replicating their past, forming a new circle, an exclusive group, however with a new team and a coach encouraging individuality provided you conform.

Live where your feet are. Run towards the danger. However much you change, you remain stuck.

Reflecting on this, it is perhaps the moment to show understanding for the movement, to acknowledge its merits, which are significant. What does it represent? Creating a sense of freedom. Challenging orthodoxies. Batting aggressively|Attacking with