The Australian Team Sets a New Benchmark as Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's tough for the Australian squad to break new ground.
The top summits have already been conquered.
This is the unit that has won seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to another six T20 titles, and once went nearly four years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are all that remain for a side that has achieved everything.
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The fact it required up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the biggest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, honestly, a testament to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over five decades.
It's difficult for their batsmen to maintain a record if not afforded the opportunity.
Finally, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy being given a chance to produce her latest masterpiece.
Originally famous as the teenage relative of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her country failed to win either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 successful years since.
A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her first appearance and seven international trophies have resulted from 10 attempts across formats.
The tough gloveman was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India briefly halted the run of success.
That loss "drove us to reevaluate our levels," Healy stated recently.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the title decider and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not come up short.
The question of whether this newest brilliant performance topped that previous effort remains open for discussion.
Many contend the reasoning behind final game tension. Different voices suggest with the test that comes when confronting a historic chase and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What's definite is this hundred was much more difficult to predict.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 occurred when she led the batting statistics, but this knock came after six matches in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30.
"For those following me in training, it's been a disappointing period because it seemed my form was missing at all," said Healy.
"Yet the moment you enter the playing area, your competitive nature take over and you just lock into the competition."
Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her great strength - and a priceless quality in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, out to the 22-year-old seamer in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration.
A single was taken off the opening delivery and after that Healy was underway.
"An opportunity to take the field and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself that way, sort of got me going," stated Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 balls - her swiftest at a World Cup - and her hundred in 84 balls as she punished short deliveries, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.
Once she was dismissed Australia required another 66 at a run-a-ball - a manageable total now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm pleased we have the assurance to achieve that now," continued Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, if necessary, we know we can do it."
That comment will be the last rival teams at this World Cup should hear.
In recent days a belief they will win from any position has become more firm - this success following success over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite being 76-7 at a certain moment.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before an encounter with old rivals England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final berth may likely be confirmed.
It was in the semi-finals they were eliminated from the previous year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a match Healy missed because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the first time at an important competition.
So great is her will, she later said she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.
Yet even as she afterwards confessed those fitness problems have postponed consideration of ending her career, this tournament is expected to be her concluding event as leader in 50-over cricket and she is still to achieve a global event as leader.
Triumph in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.