The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's a challenge for the Australian squad to set fresh records.
The top summits have already been conquered.
This is the unit that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The alternative records, targeted by the achievement hunters, are what's still available for a side that has achieved everything.
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That it took as late as Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over the last half-century.
It's challenging for their batsmen to possess a record if never given the opportunity.
In the end, the result of Australia giving up 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy being given a platform to create her most recent brilliance.
Originally famous as the 19-year-old niece of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has experienced everything through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 World Cup win came three months after her bow and seven world titles have come from 10 tries across formats.
The gritty keeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the successful run.
That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy said this week.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the championship match and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not fall short again.
If this newest brilliant performance surpassed that earlier display remains open for discussion.
Many contend the reasoning behind the pressure of a final. Some might respond with the test that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What is certain is this century was considerably tougher to predict.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 happened while she led the batting statistics, but this knock came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"If you've been watching me in the nets, it has been a frustrating experience because it seemed I lacked timing at all," said Healy.
"Yet the moment you take the field, your competitive instincts activate and you completely engage with the contest."
Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her major advantage - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, fallen to the 22-year-old seamer in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration.
A single came off Gaud's first delivery and after that Healy was underway.
"An opportunity to take the field and face the challenge with her and just have a bit of fun that way, sort of got me going," commented Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at a World Cup - and her hundred in 84 balls as she flogged anything short, scoring 21 fours and three big hits.
When she was dismissed her side needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - an unconquered height now needing a comfortable finish.
"To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the belief to accomplish that now," stated Healy further.
"Ideally we won't need to do it another time but, if we do, we are confident we can achieve it."
Those words will be the last rival teams at this World Cup want to hear.
Over the past five days a belief they will succeed regardless of circumstances has become more firm - this victory coming after success over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a meeting with old rivals England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure.
It was at that stage they were eliminated from the previous year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a match Healy was absent due to ruptured tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the first time at an important competition.
So strong is her resolve, she afterwards commented she wished she had played despite the injury.
Yet even as she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have delayed thoughts of retirement, this World Cup is likely to be her concluding event as leader in 50-over cricket and she is still to achieve a world championship as captain.
Success in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.