Colin Murray on Andy Murray, the new Wiggo and Silverstone
5 Live’s man is agog at the power about to be unleashed
Here comes the summer
I like our home Grand Prix, with Jackie Stewart strutting around in his tartan and the likes of Alan Pardew walking the grid in his dapper white suit, like a wide-eyed teenager in awe of the supermen in their flying machines. Even if we slip into a coma with all the chat about tyres, Silverstone is as important to the sporting summer as Australian cricketers indulging in late-night scraps at the Walkabout.
F1: British Grand Prix Sat: qual (starts 1pm) 12 noon SSF1; 12.15pm BBC1/Sun (race 1pm) 11.30am SSF1; 12.10pm BBC1; 1pm 5 Live
The man who would be Wiggo
Over in France it’s all about two wheels. And Britain holds a pair of aces in the shape of Chris Froome (the man who would be Bradley Wiggins) and his former Team Sky team-mate Mark Cavendish. It’s possible, come closing time, that Froome will wear yellow and Mark Cavendish will be draped in the sprinters’ green jersey. The bookies will give you a 9—4 double.
Cycling: Tour de France from Sat 10.55am ITV4; 10.30am British Eurosport
Ashes to Ashes
With the Lions playing their second unmissable Test down under, at the cricket it’s the last of the warm-up matches before the five Ashes clashes. Weather permitting, they will decide who gets to look at that famous old urn, for five minutes, before it’s returned to a glass case at Lord’s.
And if Australia win the Ashes, I think it would be perfectly reasonable for some of their cricketers to walk into a quintessentially English pub and wear St George’s wigs as beards.
Rugby union: Australia v British & Irish Lions Sat 10am (k/o 11.05am) SS1; 8am Talksport Cricket: Essex v England, four-day game, from Sun 10.30am Sky Sports Ashes
All eyes on Andy
Ah yes, the threat of rain. Expect to spend some of this week watching the SW19 Centre Court roof slowly closing, while people scurry around below sporting CB radios and frowns.
At the time of writing, I don’t of course know who’s left in the Wimbledon draw, but I can honestly say that I only want Andy Murray to win the men’s singles title. I’m incredibly biased, you see, and I’ve always been wary of men who have their own monogram. No offence, RF.
Wimbledon 2013 from Sat 11.05am, 6pm BBC2; 2.20pm BBC1; 12 noon Radio 5 Live
