IN the Midweek Mixed League at Wellington Bowls Club Hemyock have bounded happily into the New Year beating top of the table YZEDs in style.

Keith James played a brilliant game as skipper of the Hemyock side against tough opposition from Gordon Brown's YZEDs, taking it 17-12.

Geoff Stamp's Optimists did not have the best of years in 2012 and sadly for them they have not started this year with a bang either.

They did pretty well though, giving Ron Greenway's Buzzards a bit of a fright half way through, but a five in the eleventh end sealed the game for those big birds to fly home happily 17-13.

Dai Helps, Alec Ede, Don Wilson and Thelma Helps' Demons also sent out a new year warning to others by beating Dave Robinson's strong Gumboots side 20 - 15.

Joe Dixon's Harriers met up in a close battle with Matt Geraghty's Badgers. It was always going to be a near thing but Harriers pulled ahead in the end to take a well earned victory 12 - 8.

In the Ladies League the poor little Wrens had not had a happy 2012 and when they met up with Fran Hughes' top of the table Skylarks this time they did not expect to do very well.

But Dot Challen's Wrens showed the Skylarks a thing or two by not only winning, but winning in some style with a 17 -11 victory.

Julia Stanton, Brenda Wilson and Win Courtney's Robins had a close game on their hands against Sylvia Brett, Joan Greenway and Ann Gill's Ladybirds and were three shots down with one end to play. But Robins did not give in easily and picked up a three in the last end to draw the match 13 all.

The two top teams in the Triples League came up against each other in a close thriller. Edna Whitear, Ted Fisher and Bert Whitear's Hemyock were 10 all against Roger Peddle, Ron Greenway and Joan Greenway's Nomads after 10, but the final end saw the Hemyock side sneak a 1 to take it on the line 11-10.

Mike Perry's Fivers started off the year as they hope to go on, defeating Margaret Brotheridge's Beavers 17 - 10 and Dave Robinson's Southsiders fought well against a strong Pilgrims team led by Roland Bath, taking it in the end by 22 shots to 15.