The Week Ahead in British Sport: The Most Extraordinary Seven Days in Living Memory

[Policy Wizard]

The seven days from Monday June 29 to Sunday July 5 represent a concentration of significant British sporting occasions without obvious precedent in recent memory. Monday begins with Ben Stokes's final day in an England cricket shirt, England chasing 354 at Trent Bridge in what is simultaneously the most emotional and most demanding farewell context imaginable. The Women's T20 World Cup semi-finals begin at The Oval on Tuesday June 30, with England seeking a Lord's final. Wednesday July 1 brings England's World Cup round of 32 against Congo DR in Atlanta at 5pm BST, with Bellingham and Kane needing to confirm that the group stage's promise can be delivered in a knockout. Thursday July 2 brings the second Women's cricket semi-final.

Friday July 3 opens the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone with Russell on a roll and Hamilton needing a statement. Wimbledon began Monday with Raducanu, Sinner and Alcaraz all seeking deep runs on grass. Saturday July 5 has the Women's T20 World Cup final at Lord's alongside Finals Day at Edgbaston and British Grand Prix qualifying at Silverstone. Sunday July 6 is the British Grand Prix race.

Beyond the domestic sports, the global context that runs through the week includes the ongoing Strait of Hormuz crisis and Iran nuclear negotiations, Venezuela's earthquake recovery, the Colombia and Albania political stories, the Joshua boxing return on July 25 approaching and the World Cup knockout rounds continuing for five more weeks until the July 19 final. The week starting June 29 is a moment where almost everything that matters in sport and global affairs is happening simultaneously and the challenge is finding enough hours to pay attention to all of it.

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