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The first delivery in a series is much more than merely one ball.

It embodies a gut-wrenching three to three moments of pure drama, where every bit of pre-contest discussion finally ends.

"To define the tone for the whole series would prove really special," stated England bowler Gus Atkinson when asked about the possibility this week.

"I know we've witnessed several iconic first-ball occasions during Ashes history. The chance to add that tradition seems incredible."

As the bowler notes, the first ball has produced some of the most historic Ashes occasions - events that seemed to define that narrative or at least became easy to reflect upon in hindsight...

Cummins Crashing Past the Covers

Zak Crawley had spent the lead-up to 2023's Ashes series thinking about hitting the opening delivery for a boundary - regarding hoping to "create a message."

Australia captain Pat Cummins charged in at Edgbaston when the batsman hammered a drive past cover field amid thunderous cheers by English fans.

"I've always been an enormous admirer regarding the opening delivery in the Ashes," Crawley explained.

"I was following it since growing up and I knew a couple weeks before if if we won coin toss there would be an excellent possibility to receiving it."

"I talked to Brooky about it while we were golfing on course - that it would be amazing if I could hit that first ball away to deliver a statement."

England didn't won that contest - and the Australians thrillingly won that first Test on last day - yet it proved a glimpse at the way Stokes' team would play aggressively throughout the series.

Burns & English Dismissed Early

This occasion at Birmingham proved one of rare first salvos to go the way of England, however.

Significantly more typically they have been telling signs regarding the Australian dominance that would be following.

During 2021's tour, Mitchell Starc dismissed English batsman Rory Burns with a leg-stump half-volley in the Gabba becoming the first pitcher to take a dismissal on the opening delivery in an Ashes contest after Aussie bowler Ernest McCormick in 1936.

England's preparation was lacking so at that point of Australian elation England received a hit to their morale.

"My confidence simply plummeted to the floor," recalled bowler Stuart Broad, watching watching in the dressing room.

"You have prepared toward these matches then immediately, opening delivery, he is out."

The series were lost in 11 more days and Australia won the contest four-nil.

The Opener's Impact Shot

It is also no surprise an Australian skipper who thrived in "psychological warfare" thought proceedings were set by a similar event 27 before.

Steve Waugh and the Australians were seeking a fourth Ashes win consecutively as opener Michael Slater started 1994's series with emphatically hitting English seamer Phil DeFreitas for four through backward point.

"It felt like 'okay team here we go again we've got them already'," recalled the captain, who would feature every matches in three-one domestic victory.

"In our minds it was like we are on top already so we should continue pressing on. We know how we beat this team."

Foreboding.

Harmison's Dreadful Wide

However what if the first delivery is just that - a single among ten thousand or more beginning the series?

The wide Steve Harmison delivered to begin 2006's Ashes - when he hurled the ball toward the hands of skipper Andrew Flintoff at second slip, almost missing the cut strip completely - proved the most famous Ashes opener in history.

"I tensed," Harmison told media shortly after.

"I allowed the pressure of the moment overwhelm me. Everything felt so alien for me. My whole body felt tense."

"I could not stop my hands to stop being sweaty. The first ball slipped from my hands, the next did too, then, following that, I had no control, zero."

The English had won 2005's series 15 months earlier but were comprehensively beaten five-nil. Some believe that Ashes ended at that exact moment.

"We weren't skilled enough to defeat