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That initial delivery of a series represents far more than just a single pitch.

It embodies a heart-pounding three to three seconds of pure excitement, where all of pre-series talk finally ceases.

"To establish the mood for the whole series would prove truly cool," stated England paceman Gus Atkinson when asked about this prospect this week.

"I understand there have been numerous historic first-ball moments during Ashes history. The chance to join that legacy seems cool."

Like Atkinson explains, that first ball has produced many of the truly memorable cricket moments - ones that seemed to establish that tone or minimum became convenient to look back on later on...

Cummins Driving Through Cover Field

Zak Crawley dedicated the preparation for 2023's Ashes planning striking that first ball for four runs - regarding wanting to "make an impact."

Australia captain Pat Cummins approached at the pavilion end and Crawley hammered a shot past cover field amid thunderous applause from the England crowd.

"I've long been an enormous fan regarding the first ball in Ashes cricket," the opener shared.

"I was watching it since growing up and I understood several weeks before if should we won the toss there would be a strong possibility of facing that ball."

"I chatted with Harry Brook about it when we played golfing on course - saying it could be special should I hit that first ball away and deliver an impact."

England may not have won that contest - and the Australians dramatically took the opening Test on the final day - but it was a hint at how Ben Stokes' side planned to play aggressively throughout the summer.

Burns and English Dismissed Early

That occasion at Birmingham remains among the few opening deliveries that went the way of the English, though.

Significantly more often they've served as ominous signs regarding Australia's superiority that would be to come.

On 2021's series, Mitchell Starc dismissed English opener Rory Burns via a leg-stump half-volley at the Gabba becoming the initial pitcher claiming a dismissal on the first ball in an Ashes contest after Australian seamer Ernest McCormick in 1936.

The English preparation was poor so in that point of Aussie jubilation the tourists took a punch psychologically.

"My spirit just fell dramatically," said paceman Stuart Broad, who was watching in the dressing room.

"You have worked toward this series and bang, opening delivery, he is out."

The Ashes were gone within 11 additional days while Australia won the series 4-0.

The Opener's Statement Delivery

It is also unsurprising an Australian skipper who reveled in "psychological warfare" thought proceedings were set by a similar moment twenty-seven prior.

Steve Waugh and Australia aimed for a fourth Ashes victory in a row as opener Michael Slater started 1994's series by emphatically driving English bowler Phil DeFreitas to boundary past backward point.

"It felt like 'alright team here we go once more we have dominated now'," recalled Waugh, who'd feature all five matches during a 3-1 home victory.

"In our minds it felt as if we're dominant already so we should continue hammering away. We understand how we defeat this team."

Significant.

The Bowler's Dreadful Delivery

However suppose that ball is just that - a single in 10,000 or more beginning the series?

The wide Steve Harmison delivered to begin the 2006-07 Ashes - when he bowled the delivery into the grasp of captain Andrew Flintoff in the slips, almost missing the pitch in the process - became the most remembered Ashes first ball in history.

"I tensed," Harmison told media shortly afterwards.

"I allowed the pressure of the moment affect me. Everything seemed so alien to me. My whole being was nervous."

"I could not stop my grip to stop sweating. The first ball slipped from my hands, the second did too, then, following that, I had no rhythm, zero."

England had won 2005's series 15 before yet were resoundingly defeated 5-0. Some contend that Ashes ended at that very instant.

"We weren't skilled enough to defeat