The Australian Team Sets a New Benchmark as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's a challenge for the Australian squad to set fresh records.
The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.
This is the squad that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and previously enjoyed nearly four years undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the record chasers, are all that remain for a team that has won it all.
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The fact it required until Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase above 300, regaining their record for the highest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a compliment to the bowlers that have represented Australia over the last half-century.
It's difficult for their batters to possess a record if not provided the opportunity.
Ultimately, the consequence of Australia allowing 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy receiving a chance to create her most recent brilliance.
Initially recognized as the teenage relative of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup came three months after her first appearance and seven world titles have come from 10 attempts across formats.
The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India briefly halted the successful run.
That loss "motivated us to rethink our standards," Healy stated recently.
At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the title decider and was awarded tournament MVP. She made sure her country would not come up short.
Whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement is debatable.
Certain people claim the case for championship match pressure. Some might respond with the test that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's clear is this hundred was much more difficult to see coming.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 occurred when she led the batting statistics, but this knock followed six innings in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had failed to pass 30.
"For those following me in the nets, it's been a disappointing period because I feel like my form was missing whatsoever," commented Healy.
"Yet the moment you take the field, your fighting spirit activate and you just lock into the match."
Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her key asset - and a priceless quality in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the emerging pace bowler in every game, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration.
One run resulted off the bowler's initial ball and from that point the batsman was underway.
"The possibility to go out there and lock in a contest with her and merely enjoy the moment in that regard, kind of motivated me," stated Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 balls - her quickest at a World Cup - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.
By the time she was removed her side needed 66 more at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Pursuing 330 is uncharted waters so I'm pleased we have the belief to achieve that now," added Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it again but, if necessary, we are confident we can succeed."
That comment will be the final thing competing nations at this World Cup want to hear.
In recent days a feeling they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this victory succeeding win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at one point.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before an encounter with longtime competitors England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
It was at that stage they were eliminated from the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy missed because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the initial instance at a major tournament.
So strong is her resolve, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.
Yet even as she later admitted those injuries have postponed consideration of ending her career, this tournament is anticipated as her last as captain in one-day cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as leader.
Victory in India would lead her to the peak of her last major obstacle.