Another Brian will join the illustrious 400 club tomorrow.
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West Indies superstar Brian Lara achieved the feat in Test cricket when he put England to the sword in 2004.
Goulburn Valley lawn bowls identity Brian Nisbet will join Lara on 400 not out - although it will not be a cricket bat he raises when he reaches the outstanding mark.
Nisbet will lift his headset to his ears for the 400th time in the One FM studios tomorrow morning when his Goulburn Valley Bowls Show hits the airwaves after the 8am news break.
For 21 seasons, Nisbet - along with a number of rotating co-hosts across the journey - has been delivering Goulburn Valley Bowls Division news, reviews and opinions on 98.5FM.
His passion for the sport of lawn bowls and all its levels is unparalleled, with almost nothing stopping his dulcet tones resonating across the region - even on the rare occasion he could not make it in to the studio.
“I don't think anyone else has got near that,” Nisbet said of reaching 400 shows.
“I've had a guest on nearly every show, it will be 400 shows in the studio this week, I've missed half a dozen through work commitments and family funerals and so forth, but on a couple of occasions I've rang in when the shows were on.
“I don't like giving out the scores from the previous week, that's old news, you've got to focus on the people you've got on.
“I try and promote all the clubs, I try and get the smaller clubs on and let them have their spiel.
“I think I've had more praise than criticism.”
The likes of John Shaw, Graeme Myers, Rod Still, Brad Clarke, Dave Hardie and Daniel Nichols have filled the chair next to Nisbet over the years after he began the show while president of East Shepparton Bowls Club.
“When I started off, I did it on my own initially,” Nisbet said.
“I've probably done six or seven years on my own in total.”
There have been some controversial moments over the years - and even a suspension from the airwaves at one point - but Nisbet, 68, is keen to keep going strong for at least a few more seasons yet, and would even like more time to cover the GVBD.
“I think I'll get 500,” he said.
“I've enjoyed it.
“I'd like a bit more time on the program, we could go for an hour.”
Names such as Bill Cornehls, Matt Flapper, Steve Glasson, Kay Moran and Claire Duke sit high up the list of Nisbet's favourite guests on the show, but he believes his best interview was with David Donaldson.
“I think the best interview I've done was with Dave Donaldson, he was coach of Essendon at the time and Mark Ryan was playing down there,” he said.
“He's got plenty of spirit and has the gift of the gab like me.
“I was told he was one of the best interviews from quite a few people, because he talks about the one percenters in bowls like you don't rubbish your skipper, you don't criticise players in your team, you just try and encourage and all that sort of thing.
“He was a great (advocate for the fact) that a champion team will beat a team of champions. You could have the best 16 players in the comp, but it's whether they all jell together or not, it's the same in any sport.”
And as always Nisbet is not afraid to put his thinking cap on and come up with a "Best Of" team or list, sitting down to compile what he believes would be the greatest 16 he has seen while playing or watching bowls in the region.
He felt he could not include Keith Warburton as he only played against him once, while other notable exclusions included Peter Campbell and "Dreamy" Smith.
“You have to play with or watch someone more than once to put them in a team like this,” Nisbet said.
Brian Nisbet's best 16 - 1995-2019
Wally Sinclair (s), Matt Robertson, Col Power, Herb Prior.
Chris Young (s), Roy Rowan, Geoff Franze, Russell Locke.
Geoff Sutcliffe (s), Mark Ryan, Graeme Myers, Peter Brodie.
Brad Orr (s), Greg Shilling, Bill Malins, John Stokes.
Emergencies: Rob Sceney, David Cartwright, Rob Page, Graeme Lechte.
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