YOUNG guns Scott Friend and Joe Bolton shot Cherry Tree into the last four of the Ramsbottom Cup as they overcame a sense of injustice to thrash Edenfield.

The bright batting stars ensured that post-match talk was all about their play rather than two iffy umpiring decisions that left the Blackburn side silently simmering in the searing heat of Preston Old Road.

And they were brilliant as their 158-run stand for the third wicket made Edenfield’s more than respectable 193 all out look hopelessly deficient.

Friend carried his bat for 87 as Tree got home by seven wickets with more than eight overs left, while Bolton fell for 71 with victory on the horizon.

But it didn’t seem that easy as Cherry Tree lost Mark Hadfield and then pro Paul Turner cheaply.

But Turner’s dismissal to the bowling of Azam Shah was controversial to say the least. He got a lot of bat on the ball and looked understandably horrified to see the finger raised and when he began the long walk back for a duck, his side were 16-2.

But Friend and Bolton batted with great maturity as they punished anything short while refusing to hand the game to Edenfield.

They wouldn’t have been chasing anywhere near as many as 193 had the day’s other controversial decision gone their way.

Shah, a Saturday centurion, hadn’t reached 20 when Turner threw down the bowler’s end stumps as they raced for a single.

Shah appeared out of his ground and his bat was raised - and his body language suggested he was out as he tore off his gloves and headed halfway back to the pavilion.

The not out call from the umpire was greeted with amazement - and Shah took his life to bat brilliantly on his way to 94.

When he got lucky, Edenfield were rocking at 48-5 having seen their top order wrecked by Cherry Tree skipper Jon Baldwin and Bolton.

They were too hot to handle at times and there was the chance of the early finish.

But Shah bludgeoned nine fours and five sixes before being last man out, while Glen Carroll also batted well on his way to 29.

Their efforts saw Edenfield post their testing target - but Friend and Bolton both got A-plus in that exam.