The Australian Team Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's a challenge for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.
The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.
We're talking about the unit that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, those for the record chasers, are the only things left for a squad that has achieved everything.
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The fact it required up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the largest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, in truth, a compliment to the pitchers that have represented Australia over five decades.
It's difficult for their hitters to maintain a record if never given the possibility.
In the end, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy being given an opportunity to deliver her most recent brilliance.
Initially recognized as the 19-year-old niece of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her nation couldn't capture either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 trophy-laden years since.
A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her bow and seven world titles have resulted from 10 attempts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India temporarily stopped the winning streak.
That loss "motivated us to reevaluate our levels," Healy commented earlier.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was named player of the tournament. She made sure her country would not fall short again.
Whether this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display can be debated.
Many contend the reasoning behind championship match pressure. Some might respond with the test that comes when facing a record target and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What's definite is this ton was much more difficult to see coming.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"If you've observed me in training, it has been a disappointing period because it seemed I lacked timing completely," commented Healy.
"Yet the moment you take the field, your fighting spirit kick in and you completely engage with the match."
Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in succeeding famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, out to the 22-year-old seamer in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's spark.
A single was taken off the bowler's initial ball and after that the right-hander was underway.
"A chance to go out there and lock in a contest with her and simply enjoy myself in that regard, sort of got me going," commented Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 pitches - her quickest at the World Cup - and her ton in 84 balls as she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three maximums.
Once she was out her side needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - an unconquered height now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the confidence to accomplish that now," stated Healy further.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it again but, if necessary, we know we can do it."
That comment will be the final thing Australia's opponents at this World Cup should hear.
Over the past five days a feeling they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this success succeeding win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at one stage.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may likely be confirmed.
It was in the semi-finals they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - an encounter Healy missed because of damaged tissue in her foot as she led her country for the initial instance at a major tournament.
So strong is her resolve, she afterwards commented she wished she had played with the discomfort.
However although she subsequently acknowledged those physical issues have delayed thoughts of retirement, this championship is likely to be her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a global event as leader.
Victory in India would lead her to the peak of her ultimate challenge.