The Australian Team Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's difficult for Australia to break new ground.
The highest peaks have long been mastered.
This is the team that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained nearly four years undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the record chasers, are the only things left for a team that has achieved everything.
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It needed up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase above 300, reclaiming their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a testament to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over the last half-century.
It is hard for their hitters to hold a record if not provided the opportunity.
In the end, the outcome of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy getting a chance to deliver her latest masterpiece.
Originally famous as the 19-year-old niece of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 trophy-laden years since.
A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her bow and seven international trophies have followed from 10 tries across formats.
The gritty keeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India briefly halted the run of success.
That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," Healy said this week.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was named player of the tournament. She guaranteed her country would not come up short.
Whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement remains open for discussion.
Some will argue the case for championship match pressure. Others can counter with the test that comes when facing a record target and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What's definite is this hundred was much more difficult to anticipate.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 happened while she led the batting statistics, but this innings was preceded by six games in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've observed me in training, it's been a disappointing period because it seemed I lacked timing completely," stated Healy.
"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your competitive nature activate and you simply focus on the competition."
Healy's fighting spirit has consistently been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was challenged by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, out to the young fast bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration.
One run resulted off the opening delivery and from there the right-hander was underway.
"An opportunity to play and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, somewhat inspired me," commented Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 deliveries - her swiftest at the World Cup - and her century in 84 as she flogged anything short, hitting 21 fours and three big hits.
By the time she was removed her side needed 66 more at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"Chasing 330 runs is new territory so I'm happy we have the assurance to achieve that now," stated Healy further.
"Hopefully we don't have to repeat it but, if necessary, we know we can do it."
Those words will be the last rival teams at this championship want to hear.
During the last week a belief they will succeed regardless of circumstances has grown stronger - this success following win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite being 76-7 at one point.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
It was in the semi-finals they left last year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - an encounter Healy was absent due to ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the inaugural occasion at a major tournament.
So strong is her resolve, she subsequently stated she wished she had played with the discomfort.
But while she subsequently acknowledged those physical issues have delayed thoughts of retirement, this championship is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a world championship as leader.
Triumph in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.