Australia Breaks New Ground as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's a challenge for Australia to set fresh records.
The highest peaks have long been mastered.
We're talking about the team that has won seven Cricket World Cups, along with six more T20 titles, and once went 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The alternative records, the ones sought by the record chasers, are all that remain for a side that has won it all.
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That it took as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase exceeding 300, taking back their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, in truth, a compliment to the bowlers that have represented Australia over the past 50 years.
It's challenging for their batters to possess a record if never given the chance.
Ultimately, the result of Australia giving up 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to create her most recent brilliance.
Initially recognized as the 19-year-old niece of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after Australia couldn't capture 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 arrived three months after her bow and seven world titles have come from 10 efforts across formats.
The tough gloveman was also there in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India temporarily stopped the successful run.
That loss "pushed us to rethink our standards," Healy said this week.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the title decider and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not come up short.
Whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement can be debated.
Some will argue the reasoning behind the pressure of a final. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's clear is this century was far harder to anticipate.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 occurred when she was the highest scorer, but this performance was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"If you've been watching me in training, it was a frustrating experience because it appeared I've had no rhythm at all," stated Healy.
"But once you take the field, your competitive nature take over and you completely engage with the competition."
Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her great strength - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was challenged by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's spark.
A single came off the bowler's initial ball and after that the right-hander was underway.
"A chance to go out there and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself in that regard, somewhat inspired me," stated Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at the World Cup - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.
By the time she was dismissed her side needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - a manageable total now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Chasing 330 runs is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the belief to accomplish that now," added Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to repeat it but, if necessary, we believe we can do it."
That comment will be the last Australia's opponents at this championship want to hear.
In recent days a feeling they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this victory coming after win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at a certain moment.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may likely be confirmed.
It was at that stage they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy was absent due to torn tissue in her foot as she led her country for the inaugural occasion at a significant event.
So strong is her resolve, she later said she regretted not playing with the discomfort.
But while she afterwards confessed those injuries have pushed back plans to retire, this World Cup is expected to be her concluding event as leader in 50-over cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as skipper.
Success in India would lead her to the peak of her ultimate challenge.