Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's tough for the Australian squad to break new ground.
The greatest achievements have been successfully scaled.
This is the squad that has won seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the record chasers, are all that remain for a side that has won it all.
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It needed until Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase exceeding 300, taking back their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a tribute to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century.
It is hard for their hitters to maintain a record if not afforded the possibility.
Finally, the outcome of Australia giving up 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy getting an opportunity to create her most recent brilliance.
Originally famous as the 19-year-old niece of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 successful years since.
A T20 championship victory 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 setback by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.
That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy stated recently.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She made sure her country would not fall short again.
The question of whether this latest epic knock topped that previous effort remains open for discussion.
Many contend the argument supporting 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's clear is this century was far harder to anticipate.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock came after six matches in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30.
"For those following me in training, it was a frustrating experience because I feel like I lacked timing at all," stated Healy.
"Yet the moment you take the field, your competitive instincts take over and you just lock into the competition."
Healy's competitiveness has always been her key asset - and a priceless quality in succeeding famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, fallen to 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 Healy was in motion.
"The possibility to go out there and face the challenge with her and merely enjoy the moment in that regard, kind of motivated me," stated Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at the World Cup - and her century in 84 balls as she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three maximums.
By the time she was dismissed the team required another 66 at one run per ball - an unconquered height now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the belief to accomplish that now," continued Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it another time but, if we do, we know we can succeed."
Those words will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this World Cup want to hear.
In recent days a feeling they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this victory succeeding win against Pakistan by 107 run margin despite being 76-7 at one stage.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in a week and a half, 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 an unexpected loss by South Africa - a game Healy was absent due to damaged tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the first time at a major tournament.
Such is her determination, she subsequently stated she wished she had played despite the injury.
However although she later admitted those physical issues have postponed consideration of ending her career, this championship is likely to be her last as captain in 50-over cricket and she is yet to win a global event as captain.
Triumph in India would bring her to the top of her ultimate challenge.
