Sachithra Senanayake admits he took notice of the recommendation of Sri Lankan team-mate Thilan Samaraweera when deciding to join Worcestershire for the early part of the 2015 season.
Star batsman Samaraweera played for the county throughout the 2013 campaign and was a popular figure with his team-mates at New Road.
Now his compatriot and spinner Senanayake has followed in his footsteps and picked up his first wickets for the county with a six wicket return against Sussex at Hove.
He said: "One of my goals was to play county cricket and I got this opportunity. I'm so lucky to be with Worcestershire.
"Thilan Samaraweera played some good cricket here and he recommended the county to me.
"County cricket is so competitive and there is a lot of good cricket so as a cricketer it should be a dream to play it.
"Thilan said this club is very nice and the guys and the coaches and the players are good people and that I would enjoy it here.
"I feel I am settling in well and hope to be successful for Worcestershire."
Senanayake, who says he is contracted to Worcestershire for 10 weeks, has welcomed the recent rise in temperatures after admitting the previous cold weather was a shock to the system when he first landed in England.
He said: "Those were my first county wickets at Sussex and I enjoyed it a lot. I also enjoyed it because the weather was nice!
"Before I came, I had played eight T20 matches in a row and it was hard travelling the same day as the final and then the next day I had the match (against Yorkshire) and in the morning it is like two degrees!.
"It had been 80 plus degrees in Colombo and I struggled a lot but now it is getting better and now I will be okay I think."
