Australia Establishes a Fresh Record as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's a challenge for Australia to set fresh records.
The highest peaks have already been conquered.
This is the squad that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, along with six more T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The alternative records, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are the only things left for a team that has achieved everything.
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It needed up to Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase above 300, regaining their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over the past 50 years.
It is hard for their hitters to hold a record if never given the chance.
Ultimately, the result of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy receiving a chance to create her latest masterpiece.
Initially recognized as the teenage relative of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her country didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has witnessed all through 15 successful years since.
A T20 championship victory arrived three months after her bow and seven global championships have resulted from 10 efforts across formats.
The tough gloveman was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.
That loss "drove us to reevaluate our levels," Healy stated recently.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was awarded tournament MVP. She guaranteed her country would not fail again.
Whether this recent magnificent innings surpassed that earlier display can be debated.
Some will argue the reasoning behind championship match pressure. Some might respond with the difficulty that comes when facing a record target and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's definite is this ton was far harder to anticipate.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance came after six matches in India over the past few weeks in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"If you've observed me in training, it has been a challenging time because it appeared I lacked timing whatsoever," stated Healy.
"However when you take the field, your fighting spirit take over and you simply focus on the match."
Healy's fighting spirit has consistently been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, dismissed by the emerging pace bowler in every game, but here that only provided Healy's spark.
A single came off Gaud's first delivery and from there the batsman was on her way.
"The possibility to play and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment in that aspect, sort of got me going," commented Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 balls - her quickest at the global tournament - and her hundred in 84 as she punished short deliveries, scoring 21 fours and three maximums.
When she was dismissed Australia needed 66 more at a run-a-ball - an achievable target now needing a comfortable finish.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the belief to do that now," continued Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to repeat it but, if necessary, we are confident we can do it."
That comment will be the last Australia's opponents at this championship should hear.
Over the past five days a belief they will win from any position has grown stronger - this triumph following victory over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite being 76-7 at one point.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final berth may probably be guaranteed.
During that phase they were eliminated from the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy couldn't play because of torn tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the first time at an important competition.
Such is her determination, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated through the pain.
However although she afterwards confessed those physical issues have postponed consideration of ending her career, this World Cup is anticipated as her concluding event as leader in one-day cricket and she is still to achieve a global event as skipper.
Triumph in India would bring her to the top of her final mountain.