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The opening ball in an Ashes series represents much more rather than just one ball.

It represents an nerve-wracking two or three seconds filled with sheer excitement, where every bit of the pre-series discussion ultimately ceases.

"To define that atmosphere for the whole series would prove really cool," remarked England paceman Gus Atkinson after questioned about the possibility this week.

"I understand there have been multiple memorable opening-delivery instances during Ashes cricket matches. The opportunity to contribute to tradition seems cool."

As Atkinson explains, that first delivery has created some of the truly historic cricket moments - events that appeared to define the storyline or at least proved convenient to reference in hindsight...

The Captain Driving Through the Covers

Zak Crawley devoted his lead-up to 2023's Ashes series planning striking that opening delivery to four runs - about hoping to "make an impact."

Australian skipper Pat Cummins charged in at the pavilion end and the batsman cracked a shot through cover field to deafening applause from English supporters.

"I've always been an enormous admirer of the opening delivery in the Ashes," the opener revealed.

"I've been watching it from growing up so I understood several of weeks before if should we won the toss there would be a good opportunity of receiving it."

"I discussed to Harry Brook regarding it when we played playing golf in Scotland - saying it could be special should I strike the first one for runs and deliver a statement."

England didn't won that series - while the Australians dramatically won the opening Test during the final day - yet it was a hint of how Ben Stokes' team would play aggressively throughout the series.

Burns and English Dismissed Early

This moment in Edgbaston has been among the few first deliveries that went in favor of the English, however.

Significantly more frequently they have been ominous indicators regarding the Australian superiority that would be to come.

During 2021's tour, Mitchell Starc dismissed England batsman Rory Burns with a leg-stump half-volley in Brisbane to become the initial bowler to take a wicket on the first ball of an Ashes series after Australian seamer Ernest McCormick during 1936.

England's build-up had been inadequate so at that point of Australian elation the tourists took a hit to their morale.

"My emotion simply fell to the floor," recalled bowler Stuart Broad, watching watching in the pavilion.

"You have worked for this series then immediately, opening delivery, he's dismissed."

The Ashes were gone in eleven more days while the Australians won the contest 4-0.

Slater's Impact Shot

It's also unsurprising an Australian captain who thrived on "psychological warfare" thought proceedings were determined by a similar incident twenty-seven prior.

Steve Waugh and the Australians aimed for their fourth Ashes victory in a row as opener Michael Slater began 1994's series by decisively driving English seamer Phil DeFreitas to boundary through backward point.

"It was like 'alright boys we're off again we have dominated now'," recalled the captain, who would play all five Tests during a 3-1 home win.

"In our minds it was like we are dominant already and let's just continue attacking. We understand how to beat this team."

Ominous.

Harmison's Dreadful Delivery

But suppose the first ball is only that - a single among ten thousand or more to start the contest?

The errant delivery Steve Harmison delivered to begin the 2006-07 Ashes - where he bowled the ball into the hands of skipper Andrew Flintoff at the slips, almost avoiding the cut strip completely - proved the most remembered Ashes opener of all.

"I tensed," the bowler explained journalists shortly afterwards.

"I allowed the significance of the occasion affect me. It all seemed so strange for me. My whole being felt tense."

"I could not get my hands to stop sweating. The first ball flew out of my hands, the next also slipped, then, following that, I had no consistency, zero."

England claimed the 2005 series 15 before but were comprehensively beaten five-nil. Some contend that Ashes were lost at that very moment.

"We simply weren't good enough to beat