Jonny Tata remains unbeaten on South Australian soil. The New Zealander claimed Friday night’s second match night of the ANZ Premier League 2026 in Adelaide by defeating Tim Pusey 5-2 in the final.
Tata now has particularly fond memories of Adelaide. Last year he beat Simon Whitlock at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre and, once again, the 34-year-old New Zealander proved unstoppable. It was anything but easy. On his way to the final, Tata had to survive a deciding leg against both Brody Klinge and Raymond Smith, the winner of the opening night.
In the final Tata saved his best for when it mattered. Against Pusey he averaged 91.45 and edged away to a 5-2 victory. The match also reprised last year’s final in Wellington. Back then Pusey was on top, but in Adelaide the roles were reversed. The first five legs all went against the darts, before Tata held throw for the first time in leg six. That gave him a two-leg cushion. The New Zealander then produced another break to seal the win.
The evening was a welcome boost for both Tata and Pusey. A week earlier, on the opening night in Canberra, both had exited in the quarter-finals. Tata lost to compatriot Ben Robb, while Pusey had to bow to Mal Cuming. With three regular nights remaining before Finals Night, both players strengthened their positions in Adelaide. Tata earned 1,000 Australian dollars and five ranking points with his victory. It was already his third nightly win in the ANZ Premier League, after lifting two nights last year.
“Last week I got swept off the board 5-0 by my Kiwi mate Ben Robb, so I was thrilled to get the win tonight,” Tata said afterwards. “I won here last year and I’ve won here again tonight, so I’m absolutely delighted.” Tata also had warm words for his opponent. “Tim is a fantastic player. He’s a great person and a great player, and I really enjoyed playing him.” He also thanked the Adelaide crowd for their support. “The crowd here is amazing. Thank you, Adelaide. You were fantastic tonight. I truly appreciate it.”
That Tata ultimately walked away with the top prize was far from a given. Both Klinge and Smith pushed him to the limit. Against Klinge, Tata had to claw back from a two-leg deficit twice. The New Zealander fought back and showed his class on the doubles. Finishes of 110 and 142 eventually carried him to a hard-fought win. The semi-final against Smith also had Tata on the brink. He started superbly to lead 2-0, but Smith then won three of the next four legs. Suddenly Tata was under pressure. The New Zealander kept his composure at the key moment. He survived three match darts from Smith and then pounced himself. A 99 finish via double 12 booked Tata’s place in the final.
Pusey’s path to the showpiece was a touch less dramatic. He first saw off Joe Comito 5-2 and then avenged his defeat to Cuming, who had beaten him a week earlier in Canberra with the victor getting the World Darts Championship spot.
Results ANZ Premier League Night 2
Final
Jonny Tata 91.45 5 VS 2 89.30 Tim Pusey
Semi-finals
Jonny Tata 87.23 5 VS 4 92.38 Raymond Smith
Tim Pusey 81.55 5 VS 3 81.79 Mal Cuming
Quarter-finals
Mal Cuming 81.19 5 VS 2 75.77 Simon Whitlock
Jonny Tata 86.03 5 VS 4 90.23 Brody Klinge
Tim Pusey 77.40 5 VS 2 77.13 Joe Comito
Raymond Smith 97.04 5 VS 3 85.16 Ben Robb