The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's a challenge for Australia to break new ground.
The highest peaks have long been mastered.
We're talking about the squad that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, 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, regaining their record for the highest in the women's 50-over format, is, in truth, a compliment to the bowlers that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century.
It's challenging for their batters to maintain a record if never given the opportunity.
In the end, the result of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy being given an opportunity to create her latest masterpiece.
Originally famous as the teenage relative of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has experienced everything through 15 trophy-laden years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup came three months after her bow and seven international trophies have resulted from 10 efforts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India temporarily stopped the winning streak.
That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy said this week.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the championship match and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not fail again.
If this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement is debatable.
Some will argue the case for the pressure of a final. Different voices suggest with the challenge that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What's definite is this ton was much more difficult to see coming.
The Christchurch carnage 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 failed to pass 30.
"For those following me in the nets, it's been a challenging time because it seemed I lacked timing completely," said Healy.
"However when you take the field, your competitive nature kick in and you simply focus on the contest."
Healy's fighting spirit has always been her great strength - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, dismissed by the 22-year-old seamer in all three matches, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's inspiration.
A single was taken off the opening delivery and after that the right-hander was underway.
"A chance to take the field and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, sort of got me going," stated Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her fastest at a World Cup - and her century in 84 balls as she punished short deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three sixes.
By the time she was out her side needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - an unconquered height now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm pleased we have the belief to accomplish that now," stated Healy further.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it another time but, should it happen, we believe we can achieve it."
That comment will be the final thing Australia's opponents at this tournament should hear.
Over the past five days a belief they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this triumph coming after win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at a certain moment.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a meeting with longtime competitors England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final berth may well be secure.
During that phase they exited the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy missed because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at an important competition.
Such is her determination, she afterwards commented she regretted not playing with the discomfort.
Yet even as she later admitted those fitness problems have pushed back consideration of ending her career, this championship is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as skipper.
Success in India would bring her to the top of her last major obstacle.