Mitchell Johnson's sustained pace assault during the 2013-14 Ashes transformed the series, terrorising England's batting lineup with deliveries regularly exceeding 150km/h and causing psychological damage that led to a 5-0 whitewash.
Johnson had been crucified during the 2010-11 Ashes in England — mocked by crowds singing 'He bowls to the left, he bowls to the right, that Mitchell Johnson, his bowling is sh*te.' He had been genuinely inaccurate, though still fast. England's batsmen had scored freely off him.
For 2013-14 Johnson worked with bowling coach Craig McDermott on his action. He emerged faster and more accurate. Playing domestic cricket at 153-155km/h, he was ready. England did not know what was coming.
England arrived in Australia as Ashes holders with a confident batting lineup. Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris were the expected threats. Few anticipated Johnson's renaissance. The first Test at Brisbane changed everything — Johnson was unplayable.
England's batsmen had not faced genuine express pace in the preceding domestic summer. Against South African and Indian attacks, they had been comfortable. Johnson was operating in a different category.
Having been dropped and written off, Mitchell Johnson returned for the 2013-14 Ashes with his fastest ever pace. Against England batsmen who had not faced 150km/h+ bowling regularly, Johnson was devastating. He struck Kevin Pietersen on the body repeatedly, hit Michael Carberry on the helmet, and bowled deliveries that bounced steeply to throat height. Jonathan Trott left the tour mid-series citing a stress-related illness directly linked to Johnson's assault. England's batsmen visibly flinched against the short ball. Johnson took 37 wickets in the series at 13.97 — the best Ashes bowling performance of the modern era.
Brisbane: Johnson's opening spell — four consecutive deliveries at 153km/h, three hitting Carberry's body
Adelaide: Johnson bowls Pietersen off a sharp short delivery, Pietersen visibly unsettled
Perth: Trott makes just 10 and 9, looking haunted; leaves the tour the following day citing illness
Johnson celebrates each wicket with fist-pumping aggression, feeding the crowd frenzy
England's tail dismissed multiple times for under 30 in the Johnson era Tests
2013-11-21
First Test, Brisbane: Johnson's renaissance begins; England shocked
2013-12-05
Second Test, Adelaide: Trott scores 10 and 9, visibly distressed
2013-12-11
Trott leaves the tour citing stress-related illness
2013-12-27
Third Test, Perth: Johnson takes 7 wickets; England fall apart
2014-01-24
Series complete: Australia 5-0. Johnson takes 37 wickets at 13.97
“I wanted to make them uncomfortable. If they were scared of the short ball, I'd keep bowling it. That's Test cricket.”
“He was genuinely terrifying. Balls coming at 155km/h at your throat — there's no comfortable way to play that.”
“I wasn't well. The cricket was part of it but I had other things going on. Mitchell Johnson is a great bowler.”
Jonathan Trott's mid-tour departure was cricket's sad epilogue to Johnson's dominance. Trott acknowledged battling a stress-related condition, with the pressures of the tour contributing. He returned to cricket but was never quite the same.
England 5-0 defeat prompted a root-and-branch review of their batting against pace. Several players — Pietersen, Carberry, Trott — never fully recovered their Test form. Johnson was named Player of the Series.
England's batting was psychologically broken by Johnson's pace. Trott's departure was the clearest indicator of the human cost. Australia won 5-0 — only the third Ashes whitewash in history. Johnson's restoration to the team changed the series entirely.
The 2013-14 Ashes restored faith in the power of pace in an era dominated by swing, spin, and seam. Johnson proved that express pace, properly directed, remained the most destructive force in cricket.
His series also raised questions about cricket's responsibility to players' mental health — Trott's departure opened a previously taboo conversation about the psychological demands of top-level cricket against extreme pace.
Australia vs Pakistan
22 November 1981
Dennis Lillee kicked Javed Miandad on the field, prompting Miandad to raise his bat as if to strike Lillee. Umpire Tony Crafter intervened to separate them.
New Zealand vs West Indies
12 February 1980
Michael Holding kicked the stumps out of the ground in frustration after an LBW appeal was turned down against John Parker.
West Indies vs Australia
28 April 1995
Curtly Ambrose got in Steve Waugh's face after being told to go back to his mark. Richie Richardson had to pull Ambrose away. Ambrose then bowled a devastating spell.