Australia Establishes a Fresh Record as Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's tough for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.
The top summits have long been mastered.
We're talking about the unit that has won seven Cricket World Cups, along with six more T20 titles, and once went 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 team that has won it all.
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The fact it required until Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase over 300, reclaiming their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament to the bowling attack that have represented Australia over the past 50 years.
It's difficult for their hitters to maintain a record if not afforded the opportunity.
In the end, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy being given a chance to produce her newest gem.
Then best known as the young family member of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has experienced everything through 15 successful years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her first appearance 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 momentarily interrupted the winning streak.
That loss "drove us to reevaluate our levels," Healy said this week.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was awarded tournament MVP. She ensured her country would not come up short.
Whether this newest brilliant performance topped that previous effort can be debated.
Many contend the reasoning behind championship match pressure. Others can counter with the test that comes when facing a record target and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What's definite is this century was considerably tougher to anticipate.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"If you've observed me in training, it was a challenging time because it seemed I lacked timing completely," stated Healy.
"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your competitive instincts take over and you simply focus on the match."
Healy's fighting spirit has always been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, out to the 22-year-old seamer in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.
A single came off Gaud's first delivery and from that point the batsman was underway.
"An opportunity to go out there and lock in a contest with her and simply enjoy myself in that aspect, sort of got me going," said Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at the World Cup - and her century in 84 as she attacked short-pitched balls, hitting 21 fours and three big hits.
Once she was removed her side needed 66 additional runs at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now needing a comfortable finish.
"Pursuing 330 is uncharted waters so I am glad we have the confidence to accomplish that now," added Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to repeat it but, if we do, we are confident we can do it."
Those words will be the last competing nations at this tournament want to hear.
During the last week a belief they will succeed regardless of circumstances has become more firm - this success following win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at one point.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a meeting with longtime competitors England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final berth may likely be confirmed.
It was at that stage they were eliminated from the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy couldn't play because of damaged tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the first time at a major tournament.
So strong is her resolve, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.
However although she later admitted those fitness problems have pushed back thoughts of retirement, this World Cup is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is still to achieve a world championship as skipper.
Triumph in India would bring her to the top of her final mountain.