Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's tough for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.
The greatest achievements have long been mastered.
We're talking about the squad that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, those for the achievement hunters, are all that remain for a side that has accomplished all there is.
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It needed until Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase exceeding 300, reclaiming their record for the highest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament to the bowling attack that have represented Australia over the past 50 years.
It is hard for their batsmen to hold a record if not provided the chance.
In the end, the consequence of Australia allowing 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy being given a platform to deliver her latest masterpiece.
Originally famous as the young family member of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation failed to win either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has experienced everything through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 World Cup win arrived three months after her debut and seven global championships have followed from 10 tries across formats.
The tough gloveman was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India briefly halted the successful run.
That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was awarded tournament MVP. She made sure her country would not fail again.
Whether this latest epic knock topped that previous effort is debatable.
Some will argue the reasoning behind final game tension. Different voices suggest with the challenge that comes when confronting a historic chase and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What's definite is this century was far harder to see coming.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this innings followed six innings in India since the start of last month in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've observed me in the nets, it has been a challenging time because I feel like I've had no rhythm completely," commented Healy.
"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your competitive instincts take over and you just lock into the match."
Healy's fighting spirit has consistently been her major advantage - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, out to the young fast bowler in all three matches, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.
A single came off Gaud's first delivery and from there Healy was underway.
"An opportunity to play and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, sort of got me going," commented Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 deliveries - her swiftest at a World Cup - and her century in 84 deliveries while she flogged anything short, scoring 21 fours and three maximums.
Once she was out Australia needed 66 more at a run-a-ball - an achievable target now needing a comfortable finish.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm pleased we have the assurance to accomplish that now," added Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to repeat it but, if we do, we are confident we can achieve it."
That comment will be the final thing competing nations at this World Cup should hear.
In recent days a feeling they will succeed regardless of circumstances has grown stronger - this triumph following victory over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite being 76-7 at one point.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure.
It was at that stage they exited the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy was absent due to torn tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.
Such is her determination, she later said she wanted to have participated through the pain.
Yet even as she later admitted those injuries have postponed consideration of ending her career, this championship is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in 50-over cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a world championship as captain.
Victory in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.