Mitchell Johnson walked into the Ashes series of 2013/14 with questions swirling around his recall. A five-wicket haul to secure victory at the Gabba showed promise, but it was in Adelaide that Johnson showcased the menace he would be for the remainder of the series. By the end of the match, he had silenced every doubt and carved his name into Ashes folklore with a terrifying spell of bowling.
The stage seemed set for a run-fest. Australia batted first on a placid drop-in pitch and piled on 570, with Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin leading the charge. England, staring at a mountain of runs, needed to bat a long time. Adelaide was supposed to be a batsman’s paradise. Then Johnson charged in from the Cathedral End.
What followed was carnage. Summoning pace that defied the docile wicket, Johnson ripped through England with a spell that will live forever. His first strike was Alastair Cook, beaten for sheer speed, slamming into the England Captain's off stump well before his bat could come down.
From there, the collapse gathered fury. Ben Stokes, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, and Monty Panesar all fell to Johnson. His figures told the story: seven wickets for 40 runs, four bowled, one LBW, two caught. England were gone for 172, shell-shocked and broken.
The Adelaide crowd roared with every wicket and rose as Johnson kissed his cap and led his team from the field. Johnson had found fire and torn the heart out of England’s batting.
Australia won the test by 218 runs, but the margin barely mattered. This was the moment the 2013/14 Ashes were lost for England, the team never capable of escaping Johnson for the remainder of the series. Johnson’s fury at Adelaide opened the gates for a 5–0 whitewash and etched his name alongside the great destroyers of the game.