🔗 Share this article

The first delivery in a contest represents far more than merely a single delivery.

It signifies an heart-pounding two or three moments of pure drama, where all of the pre-contest talk ultimately concludes.

"To establish the atmosphere throughout the whole contest would prove truly cool," stated English paceman Gus Atkinson when questioned regarding this possibility recently.

"I understand we've witnessed several memorable opening-delivery moments during Ashes matches. The chance to add that history would be amazing."

As the bowler observes, the opening ball has delivered some of the most memorable Ashes instances - ones that seemed to set that storyline and at least became convenient to look back on in hindsight...

Cummins Smashing Past the Covers

Zak Crawley dedicated the lead-up for 2023's Ashes series planning driving that first ball to four runs - about wanting to "deliver a message."

Australian skipper Pat Cummins ran in at Edgbaston when Crawley drilled a shot past the covers amid thunderous roars from English fans.

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

"I was following it since youth so I knew several of weeks out that if we won coin toss there would be a good opportunity of facing that ball."

"I chatted to Brooky about it while we were playing golf on course - that it could be cool if I could hit that first ball away to make a statement."

The English may not have won that contest - while the Australians dramatically took the opening match during the final day - but it was a preview of the way Stokes' team would attack during the series.

The Opener and English Bowled Over

This moment at Edgbaston proved one of rare opening deliveries to go in favor of the English, though.

Much more frequently they've served as telling indicators regarding Australia's control that was following.

On the 2021-22 tour, Mitchell Starc bowled England batsman Rory Burns via a full delivery at the Gabba becoming the initial pitcher to take a wicket on the opening delivery in a contest after Australian bowler Ernest McCormick in 1936.

The English build-up was lacking and at that point during Aussie celebration England took a punch psychologically.

"My emotion just plummeted immediately," said bowler Stuart Broad, watching watching from the pavilion.

"We had prepared for this series and bang, opening delivery, he's dismissed."

The Ashes were lost within 11 additional days while Australia won the contest 4-0.

Slater's Impact Delivery

It's also unsurprising a skipper who reveled on "mental disintegration" believed proceedings were determined by an identical incident 27 years earlier.

Steve Waugh with the Australians were seeking their fourth Ashes win in a row when batsman Michael Slater started 1994's series with emphatically hitting England seamer Phil DeFreitas to boundary through backward point.

"It was like 'alright team we're off once more we have got them already'," recalled Waugh, who would feature every Tests in three-one home victory.

"Psychologically it felt as if we're dominant now and we should keep pressing on. We understand how to defeat these guys."

Foreboding.

The Bowler's Horror Wide

But suppose the first ball is just that - a single in ten thousand or so beginning the series?

The errant delivery Steve Harmison bowled to begin the 2006-07 series - when he hurled the delivery toward the hands of captain Andrew Flintoff in the slips, almost missing the pitch in the process - proved the most famous Ashes first ball in history.

"I tensed," Harmison explained media soon afterwards.

"I let the enormity of the occasion affect me. It all seemed so alien for me. My whole being was nervous."

"I could not stop my hands to stop being sweaty. That initial delivery slipped out of my hands, the next also slipped, then, following that, I had no rhythm, zero."

England had won 2005's Ashes 15 before but were comprehensively defeated 5-0. Some believe that Ashes ended in that exact instant.

"We weren't good enough to beat