The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Captain Alyssa Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's a challenge for Australia to break new ground.
The top summits have long been mastered.
This is the squad that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the peak baggers, are what's still available for a squad that has accomplished all there is.
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It needed as late as Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase exceeding 300, taking back their record for the highest in the women's 50-over format, is, in truth, a compliment to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over the past 50 years.
It is hard for their batters to maintain a record if not provided the opportunity.
Ultimately, the outcome of Australia giving up 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy being given an opportunity to deliver her most recent brilliance.
Originally famous as the young family member of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her bow and seven international trophies have resulted from 10 efforts across formats.
The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India temporarily stopped the winning streak.
That loss "pushed us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy said this week.
At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She ensured her country would not fail again.
The question of whether this newest brilliant performance surpassed that earlier display is debatable.
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 ton was considerably tougher to anticipate.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 occurred when she was the highest scorer, but this performance was preceded by six games 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 training, it was a challenging time because I feel like I've had no rhythm completely," stated Healy.
"Yet the moment you take the field, your fighting spirit activate and you completely engage with the match."
Healy's competitive nature has always been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in replacing legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the 22-year-old seamer in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.
One run resulted off the bowler's initial ball and from that point the right-hander was in motion.
"An opportunity to take the field and lock in a contest with her and merely enjoy the moment in that aspect, somewhat inspired me," stated Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 deliveries - her swiftest at the World Cup - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, hitting 21 fours and three maximums.
When she was removed the team needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - a manageable total now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm pleased we have the assurance to do that now," continued Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, should it happen, we are confident we can succeed."
Those words will be the final thing competing nations at this championship need to hear.
In recent days a belief they will win from any position has grown stronger - this victory coming after victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
During that phase they were eliminated from 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 captained her nation for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.
So great is her will, she later said she wished she had played through the pain.
However although she afterwards confessed those injuries have pushed back consideration of ending her career, this championship is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in 50-over cricket and she is still to achieve a world championship as leader.
Success in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.