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The first delivery in a contest is much more rather than simply one ball.

It represents an heart-pounding two to three seconds of sheer excitement, where every bit of pre-contest hype finally concludes.

"To define that mood throughout the entire contest would prove really remarkable," remarked English bowler Gus Atkinson when asked about this prospect lately.

"I understand we've witnessed multiple historic first-ball moments in Ashes cricket history. The opportunity to join that tradition would be amazing."

Like Atkinson notes, that opening delivery has created several of the most iconic Ashes instances - events that appeared to set the storyline and at least proved easy to reference later on...

The Captain Driving Past the Covers

Zak Crawley had spent his lead-up to the 2023 Ashes thinking about driving the opening delivery for a boundary - regarding aiming to "create an impact."

Australia skipper Pat Cummins ran in from Edgbaston when the batsman drilled a drive past cover field amid deafening cheers by the England crowd.

"I've long been a big admirer of the opening delivery of the Ashes," Crawley revealed.

"I was observing them since growing up so I realized several weeks before if should we won coin toss there would be a good chance of receiving it."

"I chatted with Brooky about it while we played golfing in Scotland - saying it could be amazing should I strike the first one for runs to deliver an impact."

The English may not have won the series - and Australia thrillingly took the opening match on last day - yet it was a hint of the way Stokes' side planned to attack throughout the series.

The Opener & English Bowled Over

This moment at Birmingham remains among rare first salvos to go the way of the English, however.

Much more often they've served as warning indicators of Australia's control that was following.

On 2021's tour, Mitchell Starc dismissed English batsman Rory Burns with a leg-stump full delivery at the Gabba becoming the first bowler to take a wicket on the opening delivery in a contest after Aussie seamer Ernest McCormick in the 1930s.

England's build-up was poor so in that point of Aussie jubilation the tourists received a blow psychologically.

"My spirit simply dropped immediately," recalled bowler Stuart Broad, who was observing from the dressing room.

"We had prepared for these matches and immediately, first ball, he is out."

The Ashes were gone within eleven more days and the Australians won the series four-nil.

Slater's Statement Shot

It is also no surprise an Australian captain who thrived in "psychological warfare" believed events were determined through an identical incident twenty-seven before.

Steve Waugh with the Australians aimed for a fourth Ashes victory in a row when opener Michael Slater began the 1994-95 series with emphatically crunching England bowler Phil DeFreitas to boundary through the offside.

"It felt as if 'okay team here we go once more we have got them already'," said the captain, who would play all five matches in a 3-1 domestic win.

"Psychologically it felt as if we're on top already so let's just continue attacking. We know how we defeat these guys."

Ominous.

Harmison's Dreadful Delivery

But suppose the first ball is just that - one among 10,000 or so beginning the contest?

The wide Steve Harmison bowled to start the 2006-07 Ashes - where he hurled the delivery toward the grasp of skipper Andrew Flintoff in second slip, almost missing the pitch completely - became the most famous Ashes series opener in history.

"I panicked," Harmison explained journalists soon afterwards.

"I let the enormity of the moment overwhelm me. It all felt so unfamiliar to me. My entire being was nervous."

"I could not get my grip to stop being sweaty. That initial delivery flew from my grasp, the next did too, then, following that, I had no rhythm, nothing."

England claimed the 2005 Ashes fifteen before but were comprehensively defeated 5-0. Some argue those Ashes were lost in that exact instant.

"We weren't good enough to defeat