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The opening ball in an Ashes series proves far more than merely one delivery.

It signifies a heart-pounding two or three moments filled with pure excitement, when all of the pre-contest talk ultimately ends.

"To set that mood throughout the entire contest would be truly special," commented England bowler Gus Atkinson when questioned about the possibility this week.

"I know we've witnessed several memorable first-ball instances during Ashes cricket matches. The opportunity to contribute that history would be cool."

As the bowler observes, that first delivery has delivered many of the most historic Ashes instances - events that seemed to establish that storyline and at least became easy to look back on in hindsight...

The Captain Crashing Past Cover Field

Zak Crawley dedicated the build-up to the 2023 Ashes series contemplating striking the opening delivery to a boundary - about wanting to "deliver a statement."

Australian skipper Pat Cummins charged in at Edgbaston and the batsman hammered a shot past the covers amid thunderous applause from English fans.

"I've always been an enormous fan of the first ball in Ashes cricket," Crawley explained.

"I've been watching them since growing up so I understood a couple weeks before that should we won coin toss there would be a strong possibility to receiving it."

"I talked with Harry Brook regarding this when we were playing golf on course - saying it could be amazing should I hit that first ball away to make a statement."

The English didn't won that series - and Australia thrillingly won that first Test on the final day - yet it proved a glimpse at how Stokes' team planned to attack throughout that summer.

Burns and English Dismissed Early

This occasion at Edgbaston has been among the few first salvos to go the way of the English, however.

Significantly more frequently they have been ominous signs regarding the Australian dominance that was following.

On the 2021-22 series, Mitchell Starc dismissed England opener Rory Burns with a full delivery at Brisbane to become the first pitcher to take a dismissal with the first ball of an Ashes contest after Australian seamer Ernest McCormick during the 1930s.

England's build-up was lacking so at that moment during Aussie celebration the tourists received a blow psychologically.

"My emotion just plummeted dramatically," recalled paceman Stuart Broad, who was watching in the pavilion.

"We had prepared toward this series then immediately, first ball, he's dismissed."

The Ashes were lost in 11 more days while the Australians won the contest 4-0.

Slater's Impact Delivery

It's additionally unsurprising an Australian skipper who thrived in "psychological warfare" believed events were determined through a similar incident twenty-seven years earlier.

Steve Waugh and Australia aimed for their fourth Ashes series win in a row when opener Michael Slater began the 1994-95 contest with decisively crunching English bowler Phil DeFreitas for four past the offside.

"It felt as if 'alright boys we're off again we've dominated now'," recalled the captain, who would feature every matches during three-one home win.

"Psychologically it felt as if we're on top now so we should continue hammering away. We understand how we beat this team."

Foreboding.

The Bowler's Dreadful Wide

But what if the first delivery is only that - a single in 10,000 or so to start the contest?

The errant delivery Steve Harmison bowled to begin the 2006-07 series - when he sent the ball into the hands of captain Andrew Flintoff in second slip, almost avoiding the pitch in the process - has become the most iconic Ashes series first ball ever.

"I panicked," the bowler explained journalists soon afterwards.

"I allowed the pressure of the occasion overwhelm me. It all seemed so unfamiliar for me. My entire being was nervous."

"I could not stop my grip from sweating. The first ball flew out of my grasp, the second did too, then, after that, I possessed no consistency, nothing."

England had won the 2005 series fifteen before yet were comprehensively defeated 5-0. Many contend that series ended in that very moment.

"We weren't skilled enough to beat