Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Johnson demolished England’s batting line-up with his seven wickets

Australia left-arm pace bowler Mitchell Johnson continued his red-hot streak with the ball as he ripped through England’s batting line-up with seven wickets on the third day of the second Test in Adelaide.

After Johnson wreaked havoc on the England batsmen, opener David Warner stepped up and smashed an unbeaten half-century to keep Australia firmly in control heading into day four.

Starting out the day on 35/1, England opening batsman Michael Carberry and Joe Root managed to convert their 26-run partnership into a 48-run partnership before Root top-edged a delivery from off-spinner Nathan Lyon to Chris Rogers at deep square leg.

Things went from bad to worse for England as Kevin Pietersen could only amass four runs before he was caught by George Bailey at short midwicket off the bowling of Peter Siddle.

Michael Carberry scored an impressive 60 off 144 balls, which included 10 boundaries before he was brilliantly caught by Warner at forward square leg when attempting a pull shot off the bowling of Shane Watson.

Following Carberry’s dismissal, England’s middle and lower order completely succumbed to the pressure of Johnson.

England went from 111/4 to 149/9, with only Ian Bell standing tall amongst the rubble on 40 not out.

Bell managed to convert his score of 40 into a magnificent 72 off 106 deliveries, which included nine boundaries and four sixes, before Johnson came back into the attack and clean bowled Monty Panesar for only two runs.

Johnson was the pick of the Australian bowlers with seven wickets, while Lyon, Siddle and Watson all chipped in with one wicket apiece.

Johnson’s match figures of 7 for 40 are his best bowling figures in an Ashes Test match and the best bowling figures during an Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval, beating Matthew Hoggard’s 7 for 109 in 2006.

He also became the first left-arm pace bowler to take seven wickets since Bruce Reid took 7 for 51 in Melbourne in 1990.

This was also Johnson’s ninth five-wicket haul in his Test career.

With a massive lead of 398 in hand, Australia got off to a horrible start as Rogers was caught behind off the bowling of James Anderson for just two runs.

Watson was on his way back to the pavilion just two balls later as he hit a delivery from Anderson straight to Carberry at point.

With Rogers and Watson having been dismissed in quick succession, Australia captain Michael Clarke and Warner came to the rescue with a brilliant 61-run partnership before Clarke was cleaned up by Panesar for 22.

Despite being dismissed cheaply, Clarke passed 1,000 Test runs in 2013 during his innings and is the first cricketer this year to do so.

Warner and Steven Smith piled on the runs as the pair put together an unbeaten 67-run partnership, during which Warner brought up his half-century, before stumps was called.

Warner finished on 83 off 117 balls, which included nine boundaries and a six, while Smith remained undefeated on 23 off 54 deliveries, which included two boundaries.

Anderson was the pick of the England bowlers with two wickets, while Panesar chipped in with one.

Australia finished the day on 132/3 and will continue batting tomorrow at 10:30 local time or 00:00 GMT.