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The opening ball of a series is significantly more than just one ball.

It embodies an heart-pounding two to four moments filled with pure theatre, where all of pre-series hype finally ends.

"To define the tone throughout the entire contest would be truly cool," remarked England bowler Gus Atkinson when asked about this possibility recently.

"I'm aware history shows numerous iconic opening-delivery occasions in Ashes history. The opportunity to join that legacy seems incredible."

Like Atkinson notes, that first delivery has delivered some of the truly memorable cricket instances - ones that seemed to establish the tone or at least became convenient to reference later on...

Cummins Driving Through the Covers

Zak Crawley devoted his lead-up to the 2023 Ashes series planning hitting the opening delivery to four runs - regarding aiming to "make a statement."

Australian captain Pat Cummins approached from Edgbaston and Crawley drilled a shot through the covers to deafening applause by the England supporters.

"I've long been a big fan of the opening delivery in Ashes cricket," the opener revealed.

"I was following them since childhood and I realized several weeks before that should we won the toss it meant an excellent possibility to facing it."

"I discussed with Harry Brook regarding it when we were golfing in Scotland - that it would be cool should I strike the first one away to make an impact."

The English may not have won the contest - while the Australians dramatically took the opening Test during last day - yet it proved a glimpse at how Stokes' team planned to play aggressively during the summer.

Burns & English Dismissed Early

This moment at Edgbaston proved one of rare opening deliveries that went the way of the English, though.

Far more often they have been warning signs of Australia's dominance that would be ahead.

On the 2021-22 series, Mitchell Starc dismissed England opener Rory Burns with a full delivery in the Gabba to become the first bowler to take a wicket on the opening delivery in a series since Aussie bowler Ernest McCormick during 1936.

England's build-up had been lacking and at that moment of Aussie elation England received a hit to their morale.

"My confidence simply plummeted immediately," recalled paceman Stuart Broad, who was observing in the pavilion.

"You have prepared for these matches then bang, first ball, he's dismissed."

The Ashes were lost in eleven more days and Australia won the series 4-0.

Slater's Impact Delivery

It's additionally no surprise an Australian skipper who reveled on "psychological warfare" believed proceedings were determined through an identical incident 27 prior.

Steve Waugh with Australia aimed for their fourth Ashes win in a row as batsman Michael Slater started 1994's series by emphatically crunching England bowler Phil DeFreitas to boundary through the offside.

"It was like 'alright team we're off once more we have dominated now'," recalled Waugh, who'd play all five matches in three-one domestic victory.

"Psychologically it felt as if we are on top already and let's just continue attacking. We know how we beat these guys."

Significant.

The Bowler's Dreadful Wide

However suppose the first delivery proves only that - one in ten thousand or so beginning the series?

The errant delivery Steve Harmison bowled to begin the 2006-07 series - when he bowled the ball into the grasp of skipper Andrew Flintoff at second slip, nearly missing the cut strip completely - proved the most famous Ashes opener of all.

"I panicked," the bowler told media soon after.

"I let the significance of the moment affect me. Everything felt so alien to me. My entire body was nervous."

"I could not get my hands from sweating. The first ball flew out of my hands, the next did too, then, after that, I possessed no control, zero."

The English had won 2005's Ashes fifteen months earlier but were comprehensively defeated 5-0. Some believe those series ended in that very instant.

"We simply weren't good enough to beat