Shambazar players and coach celebrate with Mahendra Singh Dhoni (left) and Sridharan Sriram. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyay

Calcutta: Third match on the trot, there was no stopping Mahendra Singh Dhoni (unbeaten 85 off 57 balls) Sunday, as he hit all around the Eden. And, as expected, Shambazar Club bagged their first ever CAB-recognised title when they beat Sporting Union by a wicket in the final of the P. Sen invitational meet.

The heat and humidity got to the players, forcing them to take frequent drinks breaks, and Dhoni’s rampage was broken after 8.2 overs when he had to ‘retire’ for some time, running a fever and badly dehydrated. He had by then scored 53, facing 32 balls. Shambazar were then 76 for no loss.

The other opener, Wriddhiman Saha (57) also didn’t stay long. He threw up and was back in the pavilion, managing to return after the fall of the fourth wicket.

Sporting Union decided to take first strike and lost their first wicket on 21. At one point they were six down for 141 before veteran Utpal Chatterjee came to the rescue, putting on a 107-run seventh-wicket stand with Rahul Deb. They reached a respectable 263 off 50 overs. Utpal remained unbeaten on 72.

Chatterjee hit six boundaries off the 64 deliveries he faced. The kind of fitness and motivation Chatterjee (42 years old) showed, even in this heat, is example enough for the youngsters.

Shambazar, and Dhoni in particular, started like the two previous days, putting the bowlers to the sword. Chatterjee, surprisingly, came on with the new ball too, sharing the attack with Ranadeb Bose. Chatterjee restricted Dhoni to some extent, but all were relieved when Dhoni left the field.

Returning at the fall of the fifth wicket, Dhoni went about completing the rout. But with only tailenders for company, Dhoni wisely went for the singles, nudging the ball square of the wicket rather than trying for the big shots.

Brief scores

Sporting Union 263/7 in 50 ovs (Utpal Chatterjee 72 .., Charanjit Singh 49, Rahul Deb 44; Anirban Chatterjee 3/51). Shambazar Club 267/9 in 49.1 ovs (Mahendra Singh Dhoni 85 .., Wriddhiman Saha 57, Sridharan Sriram 30). Shambazar Club won by 1 wkt.