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The opening ball of a contest represents far more rather than just a single pitch.

It signifies a nerve-wracking three to three seconds filled with sheer theatre, where all of the pre-match discussion ultimately concludes.

"To set that mood throughout the entire series would prove really special," stated England bowler Gus Atkinson when asked about the prospect lately.

"I understand history shows multiple historic first-ball instances in Ashes cricket history. The possibility to add to legacy seems cool."

Like Atkinson explains, the opening delivery has delivered some of the truly historic cricket instances - events that seemed to define the tone and minimum proved easy to reflect upon later on...

The Captain Crashing Past the Covers

Zak Crawley had spent his lead-up for 2023's Ashes series thinking about hitting the first ball for four runs - about wanting to "deliver a statement."

Australia captain Pat Cummins approached from Edgbaston when Crawley hammered a drive past the covers amid thunderous applause by the England crowd.

"I've long been a big admirer of the first ball of Ashes cricket," Crawley revealed.

"I've been observing them from youth and I understood a couple of weeks out that if we won the toss there would be an excellent opportunity of facing it."

"I chatted with Harry Brook regarding it while we played golfing in Scotland - saying it would be special if I could get the first one away and make an impact."

England may not have claimed the contest - and Australia thrillingly took the opening Test during the final day - but it was a glimpse at how Stokes' team planned to play aggressively during that summer.

The Opener and English Bowled Over

That occasion in Edgbaston has been among rare opening salvos that went in favor of the English, though.

Far more often they've served as warning indicators of Australia's dominance that was to come.

On 2021's series, Mitchell Starc dismissed England batsman Rory Burns with a full delivery in Brisbane to become the initial bowler to take a wicket with the opening delivery of a series after Australian bowler Ernest McCormick during the 1930s.

The English build-up was poor and in that moment during Aussie celebration the tourists took a punch to their morale.

"My confidence just fell dramatically," recalled bowler Stuart Broad, watching watching from the dressing room.

"We had prepared for this series and immediately, first ball, he is dismissed."

The Ashes were gone in eleven more days and the Australians claimed the contest 4-0.

The Opener's Statement Delivery

It is also no surprise a captain who thrived on "psychological warfare" believed events were set through a similar moment 27 before.

Steve Waugh and Australia aimed for a fourth Ashes series victory consecutively as batsman Michael Slater began 1994's series by emphatically driving English seamer Phil DeFreitas for four past backward point.

"It was like 'okay boys here we go again we've got them now'," recalled Waugh, who would feature every matches in three-one domestic victory.

"In our minds it was like we are dominant already so let's just continue pressing on. We understand how we defeat these guys."

Significant.

Harmison's Horror Wide

But what if the first ball proves only that - one in ten thousand or so to start the series?

The wide Steve Harmison delivered to begin 2006's Ashes - where he sent the delivery into the hands of skipper Andrew Flintoff at the slips, nearly avoiding the cut strip completely - proved the most remembered Ashes opener of all.

"I panicked," Harmison explained media shortly after.

"I allowed the significance of the moment affect me. It all felt so strange to me. My entire body was nervous."

"I could not stop my grip to stop being sweaty. That initial delivery flew out of my hands, the second did too, then, following that, I possessed no control, zero."

England claimed 2005's series 15 before but were comprehensively defeated five-nil. Some believe those Ashes ended at that exact moment.

"We simply weren't good enough to beat