SKIPPER John Wiltshire is beaming from ear-to-ear after the Wiltshire Wonders became the best skittles team in the country.

The Wonders, who play out of the Melksham Liberal club, have competed in the British Skittles Champion-ship for the last five years and after suffering the heartbreak of being beaten finalists in 2011, they went one better and clinched the title in Torquay.

The eight-strong Wonders side beat reigning champions the Highwaymen in the second round before triumphing over 2011 conquerors the Nibs in the semi-finals. They were crowned champions after a 418-336 victory over Exeter’s Heavitree Heroes.

Skipper Wiltshire, who lives in Seend and works as a forklift driver, is relishing his team’s claim to be the greatest skittles team on the planet.

“I don’t know any other countries that play skittles so I guess you could say that we’re the best team in the world right now. The Americans have the World Series so why can’t we have this?” said the Wonders captain, whose father, also named John, skippered the side up until last season.

“I know some people might think that it’s only skittles but we’re still the national champions and we’re really proud of that. It wouldn’t matter if it was something like tiddlywinks–- we’re still the best in the country.

“We had to qualify through some regional matches and then a knockout round to make it down the finals and Saturday was a really long day. We started at 10.30am and weren’t finished until 9.15pm at night.

To be honest, the final was probably the poorest we’ve played but we got the job done and then celebrated long into the night. We were the only team from Wiltshire in the competition this year and we’re obviously the first to ever win it. Most of us play in the Melksham league. Our youngest player is 21 and the oldest, which is my dad, is 61.”

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