WILTSHIRE batsman Neil Clark thinks he and his teammates should be immensely proud of their achievements this season, despite the county missing out on the national title.

A dramatic clash at South Wilts saw Unicorns Championship Western Division champions Wiltshire locked in an epic struggle with Eastern Division champions Staffordshire and despite a defiant last-gasp stand from skipper Mike Coles, the home side were eventually defeated by 28 runs.

This week’s showdown was just the third Championship final that Wiltshire have been involved in, the county last becoming kings of Minor Counties cricket 105 years ago.

But Clark says his team have every reason to hold their heads high and that he has enjoyed every minute of a memorable campaign.

“Of course it was bitterly disappointing to lose the championship final but we should be really proud of what we’ve done this season,” said Clark, who also captained Potterne this summer.

“We wanted to win the game against Staffordshire and it ended up being a really close one. Colesey’s innings was fantastic and it’s a shame that it wasn’t enough.

“If you look at this season, we’ve played something like 15 matches, drawn one and only lost two. We’re the champions of the Western Division and that’s a brilliant achievement.

“If you look at where we’ve come from, last season where we didn’t win a game, it’s a huge step in the right direction. We’ve only really used 15 or 16 players in the squad and we’re all playing for Wiltshire for the right reasons. Everyone has bought in to what we’ve been doing and that’s why we’ve done so well.

“It’s been my first full season playing Minor Counties and I’ve loved every minute of it. It’s been a long season and playing three-day games after playing on Saturdays has been difficult but that’s what you have to do if you want to play at a high level.”