Shantipur AC players pose with the trophy at Latasil ground in Guwahati on Thursday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, Dec. 20: Shantipur AC today won the 16th Ankurjyoti Challenge Cricket Championship, held in the memory of Biswanath Ghosal and Amulya Das, by a wicket, defeating a valiant Gauhati Town Club in the final.

The match, which was under a cloud over the participation of ICL-contracted players for Shantipur till this morning, was reduced to a one-sided contest at the end of the first half. The Shantipur bowlers (142/9 in 29.3 overs) restricted Gauhati Town Club to 138 in 27.4 overs. In reply, the Shantipur batsmen quickly marched to 102 for six.

However, the tables turned with the fall of three quick wickets, leaving Shantipur stranded at 124 for nine. But last man Ibrahim Ali (14 not out) and out-of-favour Ranji player R.K. Yadav (four not out) held on their nerves to see the team achieve the target in 29.3 overs. Ali hit a lofted four to midwicket to bring the win.

Earlier, Yadav had claimed four wickets for 17 runs. Uttam Nayak and Bhardwaj Bhargav took two wickets each conceding 26 and 40 runs.

Man of the Match Raju Das (46 off 44 balls) formed a valuable 53-run stand with Rajinder Mahato (11 off 15 balls) for the sixth wicket after Shantipur were reduced to 59 for five in 12.3 overs.

Ranji player Tauhid Ali Talukdar hit 18 off 23 balls while Nekibul Haque hit 16.

For Gauhati Town Club, Nitin Das topscored with 41, followed by Ranjan Deka (29) and Sumit Ranjan Das (16).

The final would have been a non-starter had Shantipur been firm on fielding the five ICL-contracted players.