Damon Heta admits Alexandra Palace isn't the place for any Ashes-themed wackiness. The showpiece Test series is in full swing and, to Heta's delight, the Aussies lead 2-0 with three Test to play.

During the 2023 series in England, the former club player bravely walked to the stage in full cricket kit before poking fun at Alex Carey's controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow during the second Test at Lord's. But fans hoping for a repeat will be left disappointed. "Aww, look," he laughs during the recent Grand Slam of Darts. "I'm not going to bring it here. I would never bring it to the Worlds, let's put it that way. It's a very different environment [to the Matchplay]."

As for his prediction, he doesn't go full Glenn McGrath by forecasting 5-0 to Australia, but isn't far off. "4-1. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. You'll get one, maybe, I think," he generously offers.

Cricketing rivalry aside, Heta is content to stay in the UK, having recently secured indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the country. Taking to social media to announce the big news, he wrote: "Indefinitely leave to remain was approved today. No more renewing visas & no more work restrictions.

"All the supporters will be stoked with the news & all the people who message telling me to go back home & give up darts will be disappointed."

The world No.13 is hoping the news will allow him to focus on his game with fewer distractions and question marks about his future. He admits: "It's nice not to have something like that in the back of my mind.

"I'm going to be here for a while - well, hopefully I'm going to be here for a while - and the wife's on board as well. Life just moves on.

"Rather than being in a grey area, we had to decide what exactly we're going to do. It just solidifies that I'm here to stay. I can just push on now and live my life."

Staying in the UK goes against his original five-year plan when he first moved from Down Under to follow his darting dream. He admits the burgeoning opportunities in the sport, including the recent mammoth rise in prize money, are part of the reason he hasn't returned to Australia full-time yet.

"Darts has changed because there's so much on offer," he says. "To go home, for whatever reason, and leave so much on the table, it might be a bit of a silly move."

To take advantage of the riches on offer, the former World Cup winner - one of the best players in the PDC without a major individual title - needs some results after a lean 2025. That said, the upbeat Aussie isn't getting too downcast about his fortunes.

"I've played all right," he insists. "At the Matchplay, I played really well, I was just missing the result [losing 12-10 in the first round to Andrew Gilding].

"UK Open, played really well, no result [going out in the last 16]. I had a decent result in the Masters [reaching the quarter-finals]. I would have taken that, I guess.

"In the Grand Prix, I could have done a bit better, that's for sure [losing in the first round]. But I've got a great base. If I turn up in a couple of TV tournaments, I'll be able to establish myself higher up the rankings."