JAVED Fisher, a private in the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), did not conceal his pleasure after he became the first non-player to take a one-handed catch in this season’s Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 competition.

An on-duty Fisher, seated beyond the edge of the boundary rope while monitoring spectators during the clash between Jamaica Tallawahs and St Lucia Zouks at Sabina Park, on Tuesday, made it look easy.

The 27-year-old rose and skilfully caught the ball in his right hand after it flew for six off the bat of Tallawahs batsman Chadwick Walton. An ongoing Hero CPL promotion meant he pocketed US$1,000 for his effort.

“It’s a great feeling to know I’m the only person so far in the Caribbean to take that catch,” the soldier told the Jamaica Observer.

“I was there and looking if anyone was going onto the field, but I also had to be paying attention on the field because it is cricket and a ball can head your way at any time. The ball came over and it eluded the Zouks player and it was in my direction so I took it,” added Fisher, a pace bowler in the JDF cricket squad.

In association with sponsors Guardian Group, the CPL Catch a Million promotion awards the first person to take a one-handed catch in a match with US$1,000 prize.

Fisher has the chance to win a trip to Trinidad & Tobago for the CPL final, and if he repeats the feat at the Queen’s Park Oval he will win US$1million.

The public can vote on the best catches online at CPL’s official Facebook page to decide who makes the trip to the final.

Fisher, a member of the JDF for a little over five-and-a-half years, said fans close to him gave words of congratulations, but because he was on duty he had to “maintain composure”.

He said he knew of the promotion, but had no idea he would be eligible to claim the prize.

“Yes, I knew of it because it’s in the media. But I wasn’t aware that we would be eligible because we are soldiers [on duty]. But then the marketing manager of the CPL came across and informed me that I won the prize. My colleagues are saying ‘good job’ and are giving me encouragement and giving jokes and things like that,” he said.

Damien O’Donohoe, CPL’s chief executive officer, was in congratulatory mode.

“We’ve had a lot of near misses, so it’s great to have a successful one-handed catch in the crowd,” O’Donohoe said in a media release.

Larry Olton, vice-president of Integrated Marketing Communications at Guardian Group, said his company wishes Fisher “the best of luck” ahead of “the final in Trinidad and the chance to win up to US$1 million”.