Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's tough for Australia to set fresh records.
The top summits have been successfully scaled.
This is the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus an additional six T20 titles, and once went 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, those for the record chasers, are the only things left for a team that has accomplished all there is.
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It needed up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase exceeding 300, taking back their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over the past 50 years.
It is hard for their batsmen to possess a record if never given the opportunity.
Ultimately, the result of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy getting a platform to produce her latest masterpiece.
Initially recognized as the 19-year-old niece of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 successful years since.
A T20 championship victory happened three months after her first appearance and seven world titles have resulted from 10 tries across formats.
The gritty keeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India temporarily stopped the successful run.
That loss "motivated us to reevaluate our levels," Healy stated recently.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the title decider and was awarded tournament MVP. She guaranteed her country would not fail again.
If this recent magnificent innings topped that previous effort remains open for discussion.
Some will argue the case for the pressure of a final. Different voices suggest with the challenge that comes when facing a record target and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What is certain is this hundred was considerably tougher to see coming.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 occurred when she led the batting statistics, but this knock was preceded by six games in India since the start of last month in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"If you've observed me in training, it has been a frustrating experience because it appeared my form was missing whatsoever," commented Healy.
"However when you enter the playing area, your competitive instincts take over and you just lock into the contest."
Healy's competitive nature has continuously been her key asset - and an invaluable trait in taking over from iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, fallen to the young fast bowler in all three matches, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's spark.
One run resulted off Gaud's first delivery and from there Healy was underway.
"A chance to play and face the challenge with her and merely enjoy the moment in that aspect, sort of got me going," stated Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at the World Cup - and her ton in 84 as she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three maximums.
Once she was dismissed the team needed 66 more at run per delivery - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.
"Chasing 330 runs is new territory so I'm happy we have the belief to do that now," added Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it another time but, should it happen, we know we can succeed."
Those words will be the last Australia's opponents at this championship want to hear.
Over the past five days a sense they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this victory coming after success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at one stage.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
During that phase they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a match Healy couldn't play because of torn tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the first time at an important competition.
Such is her determination, she later said she regretted not playing through the pain.
But while she afterwards confessed those injuries have pushed back thoughts of retirement, this World Cup is anticipated as her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as leader.
Success in India would take her to the summit of her ultimate challenge.