The Australian Team Sets a New Benchmark as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's tough for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.
The top summits have long been mastered.
We're talking about the squad that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, along with an additional six T20 titles, and once went over three years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are the only things left for a side that has won it all.
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That it took up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase above 300, regaining their record for the largest in the women's 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over the past 50 years.
It is hard for their batsmen to hold a record if never given the opportunity.
In the end, the result of Australia conceding 330 was leader Alyssa Healy being given a chance to create her most recent brilliance.
Initially recognized as the teenage relative of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups from the prior year and has experienced everything through 15 successful years since.
A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her debut and seven global championships have resulted from 10 tries across formats.
The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.
That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy commented earlier.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was awarded tournament MVP. She made sure her country would not come up short.
The question of whether this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display can be debated.
Some will argue the case for championship match pressure. Others can counter with the challenge that comes when confronting a historic chase and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What's definite is this ton was far harder to anticipate.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 occurred when she was the highest scorer, but this innings was preceded by six games in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"If you've been watching me in practice sessions, it's been a challenging time because it seemed my form was missing at all," said Healy.
"However when you step out on the field, your competitive nature take over and you just lock into the match."
Healy's competitiveness has always been her key asset - and a priceless quality in taking over from famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was challenged by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, dismissed by the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation.
A single was taken off Gaud's first delivery and from that point the right-hander was underway.
"The possibility to take the field and lock in a contest with her and merely enjoy the moment in that regard, somewhat inspired me," stated Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 balls - her fastest at a World Cup - and her ton in 84 balls as she flogged anything short, striking 21 boundaries and three maximums.
By the time she was out Australia needed 66 additional runs at run per delivery - an achievable target now needing a comfortable finish.
"Pursuing 330 is new territory so I am glad we have the assurance to achieve that now," added Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, if we do, we believe we can do it."
That comment will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this World Cup should hear.
During the last week a belief they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this success succeeding victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure.
During that phase they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - an encounter Healy couldn't play because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the initial instance at a major tournament.
So great is her will, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated through the pain.
However although she afterwards confessed those fitness problems have pushed back thoughts of retirement, this World Cup is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is still to achieve an international tournament as skipper.
Triumph in India would lead her to the peak of her last major obstacle.