'I had no time to think about it': Cricket fan snares catch and $50,000

A cricket fan has taken a $50,000 catch in Dunedin. Photo / @BLACKCAPS Twitter

A 34-year-old cricket fan has taken a one-handed catch and claimed $50,000 in Dunedin.

Craig Dougherty, a builder from Dunedin, said he had barely sat down before he saw the ball flying straight towards him.

"I had no time to think about it, I just stuck my arm out."

It was a clean catch without any grappling from fellow fans. "It was literally just me with my arm out, the guys next to me had their hands in their pockets."

It was originally a scramble for a Tui shirt, he couldn't find one the night before and only just managed to buy one 10 minutes before the game's start.

Dougherty said he didn't watch too much of the remainder of the match, swamped with text messages and calls from friends.

"Our kitchen's a bit of a mess at the moment so someone texted my wife and said, 'You can finally get that new kitchen'. She just said, 'What are you on about?'."

His $50,000 catch will make for a great story for 15-month-old son Benji when he's older, Dougherty added.

Dougherty didn't have any solid plans on what he'd spend the sum on, but said he'd probably shout his local cricket team at the pub -- to Tui beers, of course.

DB Breweries brand manager Jonathan Rea was in the process of writing out the $50,000 cheque when the Herald rang him.

"We're pretty excited to be giving it away. We went down and saw him after he caught it and he was just in a state of shock I think. It's only just sinking in now I think, but he's absolutely buzzing."

The competition sees up to $50,000 on offer per ODI and T20 individual for crowd members wearing orange Tui branded shirt who manages to take a one-handed screamer.

Dougherty became the first to take a $50K catch this home summer when he caught a smashing six from Martin Guptill in the opening over of today's ODI between the Black Caps and Pakistan at Dunedin's University Oval.

The competition was been mired in controversy last week after several potential catchers slammed into other crowd members while trying to take catches during the Black Caps/West Indies T20 game at Mt Maunganui.

$50,000 richer #tuicatchamillion pic.twitter.com/hpeBoLKKSB

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) January 12, 2018

Since the outcry, which included former Black Cap Kyle Mills and dropped Black Cap James Neesham talk of their concerns, New Zealand Cricket has introduced new competition guidelines; including the creation of catch zones.

"The principal change to the procedures will see a dedicated 'catch zone' created at venues, in which Tui Catch-A-Million contestants will have to be located in order to qualify for the prize. Catches taken by patrons outside these zones will be deemed ineligible," New Zealand Cricket said in a statement last week.

"In another revision, unruly behaviour, or behaviour which risks injury (such as diving), will be deemed in breach of the promotion's terms and conditions, therefore disqualifying contestants in the event of a successful catch.

"Usual standards of behaviour applying to all venues will apply.

"Communications at venues will be amplified, in terms of both ground announcements and on-location personnel, so that those patrons involved in the promotion are regularly reminded of their responsibilities and acceptable behaviour.

"The only variation to these new measures will be at Eden Park and Westpac Stadium, where 'catch zones' will not be incorporated. However, all other amendments surrounding behaviour to the competition rules will apply to these venues."