Australia Establishes a Fresh Record as Captain Alyssa Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's difficult for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.
The highest peaks have long been mastered.
We're talking about the unit that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed nearly four years undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the peak baggers, are all that remain for a squad that has won it all.
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It needed as late as Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase above 300, reclaiming their record for the highest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over the last half-century.
It is hard for their hitters to possess a record if not provided the possibility.
Ultimately, the outcome of Australia giving up 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy being given an opportunity to produce her newest gem.
Initially recognized as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has experienced everything through 15 successful years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her bow and seven world titles have resulted from 10 tries across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the successful run.
That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy commented earlier.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She made sure her country would not fail again.
Whether this latest epic knock topped that previous effort remains open for discussion.
Many contend the reasoning behind final game tension. Some might respond with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What is certain is this hundred was much more difficult to predict.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 came as she was the highest scorer, but this innings followed six innings in India over the past few weeks in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"For those following me in training, it has been a frustrating experience because it seemed my form was missing completely," said Healy.
"However when you take the field, your competitive instincts kick in and you simply focus on the competition."
Healy's competitive nature has continuously been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the young fast bowler in every game, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's inspiration.
A single was taken off the bowler's initial ball and after that the right-hander was underway.
"An opportunity to play and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment in that regard, sort of got me going," stated Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her quickest at a World Cup - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes.
By the time she was out Australia needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - a manageable total now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Chasing 330 runs is uncharted waters so I'm happy we have the assurance to achieve that now," continued Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to do it another time but, should it happen, we know we can achieve it."
That comment will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this championship need to hear.
Over the past five days a sense they will win from any position has become more firm - this success coming after victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at a certain moment.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a meeting with longtime competitors England in Indore in 10 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 game Healy missed because of damaged tissue in her foot as she led her country for the initial instance at a significant event.
So great is her will, she afterwards commented she wished she had played with the discomfort.
But while she later admitted those physical issues have pushed back consideration of ending her career, this World Cup is expected to be her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as skipper.
Triumph in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.