The Australian Team Sets a New Benchmark as Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's tough for Australia to break new ground.
The greatest achievements have already been conquered.
This is the unit that has won seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and once went nearly four years undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, those for the record chasers, are all that remain for a team that has won it all.
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That it took as late as Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase exceeding 300, regaining their record for the highest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century.
It's difficult for their batters to maintain a record if not afforded the chance.
Finally, the consequence of Australia giving up 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy being given a chance to create her most recent brilliance.
Initially recognized as the young family member of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has witnessed all through 15 championship-filled 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 gritty keeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India temporarily stopped the run of success.
That loss "pushed us to rethink our standards," Healy said this week.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the championship match and was awarded tournament MVP. She made sure her country would not fall short again.
The question of whether this newest brilliant performance topped that previous effort can be debated.
Some will argue the reasoning behind championship match pressure. 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 hundred was much more difficult to see coming.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as 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 failed to pass 30.
"If you've been watching me in the nets, it has been a challenging time because I feel like I lacked timing whatsoever," stated Healy.
"However when you take the field, your fighting spirit take over and you completely engage with the match."
Healy's competitive nature has consistently been her major advantage - and an irreplaceable characteristic in replacing iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, dismissed by the young fast bowler in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.
A single was taken off the bowler's initial ball and after that the right-hander was on her way.
"A chance to play and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself that way, sort of got me going," stated Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 balls - her swiftest at a World Cup - and her century in 84 as she flogged anything short, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.
By the time she was out Australia required another 66 at one run per ball - an unconquered height now demanding an easy conclusion.
"To chase 330 is new territory so I'm pleased we have the confidence to accomplish that now," added Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to repeat it but, if we do, we know we can do it."
That comment will be the last competing nations at this championship need to hear.
Over the past five days a belief they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this triumph succeeding success over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite struggling at 76-7 at one stage.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final berth may well be secure.
During that phase they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a game Healy was absent due to ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the first time at a significant event.
Such is her determination, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.
However although she subsequently acknowledged those injuries have postponed thoughts of retirement, this championship is anticipated as her last as captain in 50-over cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as leader.
Victory in India would lead her to the peak of her ultimate challenge.