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The opening ball in a contest is much more than merely one delivery.

It represents an heart-pounding three to four moments filled with sheer drama, where every bit of the pre-series talk ultimately ceases.

"To establish the mood throughout the whole contest would prove truly cool," remarked English bowler Gus Atkinson when questioned about the prospect lately.

"I'm aware we've witnessed numerous iconic first-ball occasions during Ashes history. The opportunity to join to history would be cool."

Like Atkinson observes, that first delivery has produced several of the truly memorable Ashes instances - events that seemed to set the tone or at least proved convenient to reference later on...

Cummins Crashing Past the Covers

Zak Crawley had spent his build-up for the 2023 Ashes planning driving that first ball for four runs - about aiming to "make an impact."

Australia captain Pat Cummins ran in at the pavilion end when Crawley cracked a shot past the covers amid roaring applause from the England crowd.

"I've long been an enormous fan of the first ball in Ashes cricket," the opener shared.

"I've been following it from youth and I knew a couple weeks before that should we won coin toss it meant a strong possibility to receiving it."

"I discussed with Harry Brook regarding it when we played playing golf in Scotland - that it would be amazing if I could strike that first ball away to deliver an impact."

England may not have won the contest - and the Australians thrillingly took that first Test on last day - yet it proved a preview of how Ben Stokes' team would play aggressively during the series.

Burns & English Bowled Over

That occasion at Edgbaston has been among the few first deliveries to go in favor of England, though.

Much more typically they've served as warning indicators regarding Australia's superiority that would be to come.

During the 2021-22 series, Mitchell Starc bowled English opener Rory Burns via a half-volley at the Gabba to become the first pitcher to take a dismissal on the opening delivery of an Ashes series after Aussie bowler Ernest McCormick during 1936.

The English preparation was lacking so at that moment during Aussie jubilation the tourists received a punch to the stomach.

"My spirit simply plummeted immediately," said bowler Stuart Broad, who was watching from the pavilion.

"We had worked for these matches then immediately, first ball, he's out."

The series were gone in eleven more days while Australia claimed the series four-nil.

The Opener's Statement Shot

It is also no surprise an Australian skipper who reveled on "mental disintegration" thought proceedings were determined through an identical incident 27 before.

Steve Waugh with Australia aimed for their fourth Ashes series win in a row when batsman Michael Slater started 1994's series with emphatically hitting England seamer Phil DeFreitas to boundary through backward point.

"It was like 'okay team here we go again we've got them already'," recalled Waugh, who'd play every matches during three-one home win.

"Psychologically it felt as if we're dominant now and let's just keep attacking. We understand how to defeat these guys."

Ominous.

The Bowler's Horror Delivery

But what if the first delivery proves only that - a single among 10,000 or more beginning the series?

The errant delivery Steve Harmison delivered to begin 2006's Ashes - where he sent the delivery into the hands of captain Andrew Flintoff in the slips, almost avoiding the pitch completely - has become the most famous Ashes series opener in history.

"I froze," the bowler told journalists soon afterwards.

"I let the pressure of the occasion overwhelm me. It all felt so unfamiliar to me. My whole body felt tense."

"I could not get my grip from being sweaty. The first ball flew from my hands, the second did too, then, after that, I had no rhythm, nothing."

England had won the 2005 Ashes fifteen before yet were comprehensively beaten 5-0. Many believe that Ashes were lost at that exact instant.

"We weren't good enough to beat