Yadvinder Singh picked up the first two wickets of his career for Worcestershire on day two of the Vitality County Championship encounter with leaders Surrey at the Kia Oval.
The 28-year-old, handed his opportunity because of illness to Adam Finch, dismissed two England players in openers Dominic Sibley and Rory Burns.
It was two moments Singh will remember in his career after all the years of hard graft before earning a contract at Worcestershire via the South Asian Cricket Academy.
Although his various spells provided a variety of deliveries, the two wickets will do wonders for his confidence.
Worcestershire enjoyed an afternoon session spell of four wickets in the space of nine overs after Sibley and Burns laid solid foundations.
Matthew Waite was again the pick of the Worcestershire bowlers, difficult to get away and always posing a threat.
He deserved more than one wicket while Ben Gibbon was rewarded with two breakthroughs.
But the dropping of Dan Lawrence early in his innings off Waite proved costly as he and Jamie Smith’s century stand lifted Surrey’s lead past 300.
Worcestershire resumed on 112-7 and Club Captain, Brett D’Oliveira, and Joe Leach negotiated seven testing overs from Jordan Clark and Dan Worral in adding 16 runs.
Leach survived one difficult low caught and bowled chance off Clark before the innings was ended with three wickets in an over from Worrall.
Leach (5) edged a delivery which was angled in and moved away and keeper Ben Foakes held onto a fine low catch.
Another excellent ball from Worrall accounted for Ben Gibbon (0) who was bowled for a duck to leave Yadvinder facing the hat-trick ball.
He survived that but third ball drove at Worrall and provided Foakes with another catch.
It left D’Oliveira unbeaten on 30 from 79 balls while Worrall ended with 6-22.
Surrey began batting for the second time with a lead of 85 and Burns survived a confident lbw shout against Leach.
Waite, who picked up three first innings wickets, came into the attack and Sibley was beaten all ends up by a delivery taken by Gareth Roderick.
Accurate bowling kept the Surrey openers in check and below two runs an over until Sibley whipped a delivery behind square for six in the 16th over.
Burns on 21 escaped another close lbw shout from Waite five minutes before lunch when Surrey stood on 50-0 from 19 overs.
There were still signs of encouragement for the bowlers and a lifter from Gibbon to Burns flew through to Roderick in the first over of the afternoon session.
Burns played and missed at the left armer after attempting an expansive drive but it was Yadvinder who made the first breakthrough with his maiden first class wicket.
Sibley (29) nibbled at a delivery and Roderick snaffled the chance at 79-1 in the 29th over. Yadvinder could not contain his delight and was congratulated by his team-mates at a milestone moment.
Burns completed a 79-ball half century but there was more joy for Worcestershire after Gibbon came around the wicket.
D’Oliveira brought Nathan Smith into leg slip and the first ball he was in that position saw Ollie Pope (1) flick Gibbon around the corner into his hands.
There was more joy for Singh in dismissing Burns (70) with Rob Jones clinging onto a good low catch at slip.
It became four wickets for 36 runs when Ben Foakes (3) was trapped lbw on the crease against Waite.
Lawrence should have departed on four when he lofted Waite to deep mid wicket but the chance was not taken.
He took advantage of his let-off and by tea and moved onto 36 and Jamie Smith 38 in a total of 182-4 from 54 overs.
The stand was worth 119 as Gibbon persevered around the wicket and Jamie Smith (72) lost his off stump at 234-5.
There was still encouragement for the bowlers and Leach three times found an outside edge in an over and Clark on 56 survived a Yadvinder lbw shout.
But Lawrence (86 not out) and Clark (69 not out) scored freely during a century partnership in the final session as Surrey closed on 342-5 – a lead of 427.
Yadvinder finished with 16-1-74-2, Gibbon 22-2-81-2 and Waite 14-2-44-1.
Singh said: “I’m feeling really grateful and blessed to make by debut at The Oval and to get some wickets today.
“It’s pretty special, especially the first one. Before that, I was thinking ‘am I good enough’ but as soon as I got a wicket I got into a better rhythm.
“It gave me a bit of confidence to do what I have been doing. I was just in my zone. They were big wickets but it’s a big team so every wicket is special.
“I didn’t know until half an hour before the start that I would be playing. I was a bit nervous but it was special as well.
“I didn’t think about the batters really. I just wanted to do my thing but it was hard for me the first few overs.
“They came hard at us and put a big score on but we will go hard again tomorrow and see what we can do. “
