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The first delivery in a contest represents far more rather than just a single pitch.

It embodies a gut-wrenching two to four moments of sheer theatre, when all of pre-series talk ultimately concludes.

"To define that tone for the whole contest would prove truly cool," stated English bowler Gus Atkinson after questioned regarding this possibility recently.

"I'm aware history shows numerous memorable first-ball moments during Ashes matches. The opportunity to join to tradition would be cool."

As the bowler observes, that opening delivery has produced some of the truly iconic Ashes moments - ones that appeared to define the tone or at least proved easy to look back on later on...

Cummins Smashing Through Cover Field

Zak Crawley devoted the lead-up for the 2023 Ashes series thinking about striking that opening delivery to four runs - regarding hoping to "create a statement."

Australia captain Pat Cummins charged in from the pavilion end and Crawley cracked a drive through the covers to thunderous applause by the England crowd.

"I've always remained a big admirer regarding the opening delivery in Ashes cricket," Crawley shared.

"I was watching it since growing up and I understood several of weeks out if if we won the toss there would be a good possibility of receiving that ball."

"I chatted to Brooky about this while we were golfing in Scotland - that it could be special should I hit the first one for runs and deliver an impact."

England may not have claimed that series - and Australia thrillingly won that first match on the final day - yet it proved a glimpse of how Stokes' side planned to attack throughout that summer.

The Opener and England Bowled Over

This moment in Edgbaston remains one of the few opening salvos that went the way of England, however.

Far more frequently they've served as telling indicators of the Australian dominance that was ahead.

On 2021's series, Mitchell Starc bowled England batsman Rory Burns via a half-volley in Brisbane to become the initial bowler to take a dismissal on the first ball in a contest after Aussie bowler Ernest McCormick in the 1930s.

The English build-up was inadequate so in that point during Australian elation England took a punch psychologically.

"My spirit simply plummeted immediately," recalled paceman Stuart Broad, who was watching in the dressing room.

"You have built toward these matches then immediately, opening delivery, he's dismissed."

The Ashes were gone in eleven more days while Australia won the contest four-nil.

Slater's Statement Shot

It is also no surprise an Australian captain who thrived on "mental disintegration" believed proceedings were determined by an identical moment twenty-seven prior.

Steve Waugh and Australia aimed for a fourth Ashes victory in a row when opener Michael Slater began the 1994-95 series with decisively hitting English seamer Phil DeFreitas to boundary past the offside.

"It felt as if 'alright team here we go once more we've dominated now'," said the captain, who'd feature all five Tests during a 3-1 domestic win.

"In our minds it was as if we're on top now and we should keep attacking. We know how we defeat this team."

Ominous.

Harmison's Dreadful Delivery

However suppose that delivery proves just that - one among 10,000 or so to start the series?

The errant delivery Steve Harmison delivered to start 2006's series - where he bowled the ball toward the hands of skipper Andrew Flintoff in the slips, almost missing the cut strip in the process - proved the most famous Ashes series first ball ever.

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

"I allowed the pressure of the occasion get to me. Everything felt so unfamiliar to me. My entire being felt tense."

"I could not get my grip to stop sweating. The first ball slipped out of my grasp, the next did too, and, following that, I possessed no consistency, zero."

England claimed 2005's Ashes 15 before but were resoundingly defeated 5-0. Some argue that Ashes ended in that exact instant.

"We weren't prepared enough to defeat