It is important to make an early statement in the Ashes. Here are how some recent series got under way.

2006-07
Stephen Harmison bowls the first ball of the series, in Brisbane, into the hands of Andrew Flintoff at slip. Australia go on to make 602 before declaring and win the series 5-0

2005
A rather different Harmison bowls with pace and aggression at Lord’s, striking Justin Langer on the elbow with the second ball of the match and later cutting Ricky Ponting’s cheek. Australia are dismissed for 190 but although they win that Test, they realise they are in for a tight battle, which England win 2-1.

2002-03
The series was lost before a ball was bowled. Nasser Hussain won the toss in Brisbane and, fearing the Australia bowlers, chose to put the opposition in. With Darren Gough and Andrew Flintoff unfit, the England attack lacked penetration and Australia reached 364 for two by the close. They went on to win the match by 384 runs and the Ashes within 11 days.

2001
Another 11-day Ashes. “If we can get on top early, we can open up some old scars,” Steve Waugh, the Australia captain, said. England were hardly helped by a slew of injuries: they summoned 17 players to Edgbaston before the first Test and even the bowling coach went down with a virus. Marcus Trescothick was out for a second-ball duck and England needed a tenth-wicket stand of 103 between Alec Stewart and Andrew Caddick to get near to 300.

1997
Now here’s one that England started well. They won the one-day series 3-0 and then, after Australia won the toss and chose to bat in the first Test at Edgbaston, took eight wickets in the first 20 overs. Australia recovered from 54 for eight to reach 118, but Nasser Hussain made a double hundred and Graham Thorpe 138 to turn the screw. England won by nine wickets and everything looked golden. Such a shame that they lost the series 3-2.